The 8/12 Jordan 2 Retro QF Varsity Red
Living up to the success of the Air Jordan 1 was no small task, so Nike enlisted two of its most accomplished designers, Bruce Kilgore and Peter Moore, to collaborate on the newest Air Jordan design.
Kilgore, who created the Air Force 1 in 1982, and Moore, who designed the Air Jordan 1, decided to develop a shoe that could perform on the court and still look great with a suit.
Nike was able to achieve the elegance of the Air Jordan 2 by producing them in Italy using premium Italian leather and faux iguana skin. They also eliminated the large Swoosh logo for a cleaner look. Although the Nike signature appears on the heel and the outsole, this was the first sneaker to feature Air Jordan as the primary branding with the iconic Wings logo on the tongue.
The new Air Jordan design also underwent performance upgrades, including a speed lacing system, foam midsoles, larger air units in the heel for more support and a large heel cup wrapping the rear of the shoe for stability.
History of Air Jordan 2
Originally released in 1986, the Air Jordan 2 is an often-overlooked silhouette in the Air Jordan lineage, but it’s a worthy shoe, nonetheless. While it wasn't as monumental as the Air Jordan 1 that preceded it or as culture-shifting as the Air Jordan 3 that followed, the Air Jordan 2 was undoubtedly ahead of its time.
The silhouette embodied luxury decades before there was a steady demand for designer-quality shoes from sportswear brands or full-on collaborations like the recently released Dior x Air Jordan 1.
Jordan 2 Retro QF Varsity Red 2010
This colorway of the Jordan 2 was released on August 12, 2010, and it is almost identical to the OG colorway of the Jordan 2 that was released in 1986. The Air Jordan 2 QF Varsity Red features a mostly white upper that consists of a white, lizard-skin leather. You will also find red and black accents on the upper, as well as black laces. There is a red Air Jordan logo on the tongue, showcasing the classic Air Jordan Wings logo. On the rear, you will find the word 'NIKE' written in black on top of the varsity red heel of the shoe. This silhouette also has a white mudguard, black midsole, and an outsole that has white and red colors. The Jordan branding is written in black.
