Re-Retros Galore

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Jul 6, 2006
Hey Guys,

This is my first new topic in the Jordan Forum in roughly 5 years of activity, and countless more years checking in without a user-name, but I just couldn't let this one slide.

I, like many of you, am happy that JB is opening the flood gates and releasing many long time favorites which have been neglected as far as the retro treatment goes. Despite the recent controversies, I'm happy to see Concords dropping again, and Cool Greys, the Infrared Pack (for the real OGs!), and Playoff XIII's were bright spots among the recent retros, to name a few.

However, do you guys realize what's coming out in the near future? Bred XIV's are on the way, Militaries are due, and Steel X's are on the horizon as well. Why is this relevant? Bred XIV's were the Christmas release in 2005. Steel X's were a summer release in 2005. Militaries were a fall release in 2006. Doesn't it seem a little...soon? I mean, you can make the argument that XI's dropped in '96 and got retroed in '01, but do you really want to start getting tacky-quality take down retros of classic sneakers every few years?

Don't you guys realize what's going on? JB retroed these sneakers 5 or 6 years ago...and now they're busting them out again. I remember people complaining about the quality of these retroes the FIRST time around. Who remembers glue stains on their Last Shots? Who remembers squeaking X's and dudes coming in here to post about baby powder helping and all of that? Who remembers their Militaries scuffing blue on the white midsole after the first couple of wears? With the recent trend of declining quality...do you guys really want to see what the NEXT GENERATION of retroes of these classic sneakers have in store for us?

I mean, it makes sense, what with JB being a brand that relies on the creation of nostalgia and the sustaining of the same nostalgia to sell sneakers. The public wants to cop the original models primarily because they are simply better designs. JB can't design sneakers worth a dime anymore...straight up. Also, they catch all the older basketball fans because Jordan, the man himself, played in the older models, and people have memories of wearing the kicks when they were kids and whatnot, etc. I mean, let's be honest guys, people aren't lining up, beasting, and rioting over the newest Fly Wades.

So what does all of this re-retroing jargon MEAN?
Jordan hooked a newer generation on the retro craze with sneakers such as the very Militaries, Steels, and Last Shots that I mentioned. Those younger "sneaker-heads" grow older and, subconsciously or not, want the kicks that they had in high school or that they remembered as being "the first time" they camped out for a sneaker or lost their Retro virginity or whatever the hell, so they go out and beast over these re-retroes like guys who grew up with the brand get hyped for say...the cement IV release. Right there...JB created NEW nostalgia. They got NEW dudes hooked...and proceeded to create NEW MEMORIES.

While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, I just wanted to bring it to NT's attention. JB is baiting kids with retroes, sucking them in, and getting their cash AGAIN on the re-retro. Sure, kids have a right to access some of the greatest basketball shoes of all time...but let's be real...these mall-hopping, H&M sweater wearing, daddy's-credit-card-having Justin Biebers are basing their "sneaker game" on a culture that was created by JB...a culture that isn't related to basketball OR Michael Jordan himself, like the brand was originally intended to be.

It stinks, man...because now instead of retroing the September Blue (Yes, SEPTEMBER BLUE) VI's, the Maroon VI's, the City Series 10's, or giving us a proper power blue IX retro...we get retroes of sneakers that, while dope, WE ALL HAVE HAD 3 TIMES AROUND ALREADY. How about an Olympic 6 re-retro+...how about a Laney V re-retro+...if JB is going to throw the boat at us? NOPE...not enough "sneakerheads" were "in the game" back when those sneakers dropped. See how the market is progressing/going to progress? Pretty soon we'll have Pea-Pod 8's sitting on the shelves again...

Now don't get me wrong...I love the Last Shots...and I still have that sweet memory of rocking my first pair in the hallways to class when I got to school. I played some of my best ball in the Steel X's...and I still rock a pair of laceless militaries around the house every now and then...but where does it end? Are they going to give us plastic replicas that explode at the touch because the materials are so flimsy the 20th time around? Probably not...but I just hate to see the brand catering to the L-Style crowd and pandering these botched classics to dudes who don't know any better. They're going to do it again, too...look at those Dunkman colorway X's that are dropping later on. They could bring those out in 5 years...they really could...

It makes perfect economic sense, too. JB is catering to the kids who are willing to shell out the cash, sadly, they make up the majority of demand nowadays...so it's their memories over ours.

Man...their memories over ours. What a sad realization to have to come to...

I don't want this to be another old timer "JB IS DEAD" post...but I thought I'd put you guys on to this trend in case you weren't aware. I love Jordan Brand, and their sneakers have provided me with countless memories over the years, but I wish things were looking up a little more than they were at this point in time. It's just sad...well...maybe just STRANGE...to hear a dude say that one of their grails is the Cool Grey IVs...and to see a post asking for Fire Red III's to be brought back out already. (No hate in either direction) No Nike Air, no quality guaranteed to be made to the exact standards that professional athletes wear on the court (or however that tag-line went), and no more original memories. Their memories over ours...I guess times have changed.

I guess all we can do is hope at this point. I mean...they brought the 90's Nickelodeon shows back, didn't they? Word to all the OG heads out there doing their thing. The dream will never die.

So it goes, guys...so it goes...
 
I just think its silly that people feel this entitlement to these first generation retros, when like you said, XIs retro'd in 6 years. Why was it okay for XI's, XII's, and XII's to retro in 6-7 years, but nothing else? How can you complain about last shots coming out too soon when the Og's came out in 1999 and retro'd in 2005? Your complaint stops being valid right there. It's simple, don't buy it if you already have it.
 
all those shoes were made so poorly that they may have felt the need to do them right this time around

no possible way in hell the militaries can be worse this go-round

i'm expecting fire red 3's and 4's to drop soon too because of their previous terribleness
 
Originally Posted by shoediniDC

destroying the re sell culture and keeping the bread with Nike.

not only that, but they're killing the sneaker culture as well.....I wouldn't call reselling a "culture", but I would say that it is certainly part of sneaker culture.
I'd say that people didn't have a problem with 2000 XIs because they were such a revolutionary shoe plus quality materials were still there, UNLIKE NOW. That's one of the reasons why I've moved on from Jordans.

I have a big problem with retros these days and when I saw that black/ red XIVs were going to drop again, I was like "WHY?" but then I thought about it from JB's pov and realized that the exploitable market would scoop them up no matter how many times they retroed and this is part of the problem, these kids know nothing about the past models. You wouldn't believe how many people don't know what white/ black- true red (Chicago) Xs are and those same people claim to be "sneaker heads" SMH.
 
lol aside from the 5's, 2011 has actually been a good year for Retro quality. I've ran in my 7's and 3's and nothing broke. Although I wouldn't ball in them, but that would be like racing in a station wagon anyways with all this new, cheaper Nike tech.
 
i grew up poor and always been a sneaker head but could never cop. now that i got the money .i am pumped to see these releases and don't miss on too many.
but thats just my opinion though
 
Decrease in quality and increase in price is why I've given up on JB. I've moved on to the Kobe and Lebron lines. Way better quality, innovative designs, and made to perform. I can understand that nostalgia plays a big role in purchasing these retros, but I drew the line when these newer retros I pay $150 for start falling apart faster than the retros released about 10 years earlier and cost me way less retail.
 
Originally Posted by shoediniDC

destroying the re sell culture and keeping the bread with Nike.
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I'm loving this. Re selling is great only if your being nice with prices. I dont wanna pay 300$+ for a pair of shoes from 2001 that have been worn and all. More re retros the lower re sell prices are and happier I'am. I like resellers in the sense of people who dont need the shoe any more and want his retail back but those people who sell on hype get no love.
 
Elcerrito91's got it...but I think a lot of you guys are missing the point of my post.

Sure JB wants the take that resellers are creating, and sure some of you guys benefit from that because you can: 1) pay a lower price for the original retros or 2) scoop up the lower quality re-retros...

But do you really want a brand which is based on "sneakerheads" and "culture" as opposed to a brand that was ORIGINALLY based on such hallmarks as high performance, top-notch quality and...oh boy...you guys won't believe me here but...

BASKETBALL?!

It's crazy, man. Dudes just want to rock J's and stomp around the mall like they've got a clue...and this is what the brand is catering to...because doing so rakes in the dough. Pretty soon the nostalgia factor will be comprised solely of "remember camping out for the Altitudes..." and "Oh man...back in the day...when dude spilled his soda and I stepped in it and my soles started to yellow two days later..." and "I was rockin' paper bags over those joints every time it rained just to keep 'em DS..."

What about the game, guys? What about waiting to see what colorways would drop for the new model and being totally blown away by such magical, new colorways as the White/Infra VI's...or the Hare VII's? What about leaning in close to the TV All-Star Weekend to see what the hell Jordan had on his feet, only to be mesmerized by the awesome blue-soled power of the Columbia XI's for the very first time?

Spike Lee said it best. "It's gotta be the shoes." It's gotta be the SHOES...not the hype...not the matching gear...not the "dope fits" with the switched out laces to match the ridiculous re-retro skittles colorways in the WDYWT post. The shoes, guys. The shoes that the man himself wore. The shoes that guys used to throw on and head out to the playground to work on their J for hours, man. The shoes that guys would bike paper routes for all summer and fall just to have a pair to rock next season.  A single pair...

Keep that in mind.
 
I don't know why you are complaining. If you had the retros from 2005 or 2006 and didn't like the quality or still wear them don't get the 2011/2012 retros. I mean come on people are still buying them and they are selling out. Some people miss out and get a second chance and tere are new sneakerheads who just started who would like to hav them. It's better the retro them every 6 years instead of every 12. It's better then that. And if youre saying it messes up your shoes value and the culture you're in it for the wrong reasons. I buy my shoes to wear them like they are supposed to. They aren't meant to sit on a shelf collecting dust and watching them crumble after 20 years. It's about te shoes not how much resale value they hold.
 
Originally Posted by MDkicks

I don't know why you are complaining. If you had the retros from 2005 or 2006 and didn't like the quality or still wear them don't get the 2011/2012 retros. I mean come on people are still buying them and they are selling out. Some people miss out and get a second chance and tere are new sneakerheads who just started who would like to hav them. It's better the retro them every 6 years instead of every 12. It's better then that. And if youre saying it messes up your shoes value and the culture you're in it for the wrong reasons. I buy my shoes to wear them like they are supposed to. They aren't meant to sit on a shelf collecting dust and watching them crumble after 20 years. It's about te shoes not how much resale value they hold.
it's the fact that they're selling their products (signature models, not team jordans) not as basketball shoes, but purely for sneaker heads/ HBs/ people who know nothing about the history of the line and just wear them because they are in style, usually kids and HS students. 
Retroing a cw in say 6 years after it dropped, shows a real lack of creativity on JB's part. It's like "they really have nothing new to give us?" And because they retro the same thing so many times, it gets old and you really can't be exclusive anymore. THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE IS THAT JB HAS BECOME DEPENDENT ON RETROS FOR SUCCESS AND HAVE LOST THE ABILITY TO CREATE NEW MODELS OR AT LEAST OLDER MODELS IN NEW COLORWAYS THAT ARE TRULY EMBRACED BY US.

I agree with kingk777 about the "new" generation. I would say this definitely started by 04/05 and then got progressively worse as time went on. 

JB, now, seems to be catering to these kids in order to generate sales and that is the issue. As for people playing in Jordans, I don't see very many of the signature models being balled in, just hyper dunks or whatever new basketball shoe Nike just came out with. I mostly see Jordans on the street.
 
^^^^They do release basketball shoes. Team Jordans and the Year line (2009, 2010, 2011).

Nobody buys Retros for ball, why would you drop 160 on some Retros when I can buy Hyperdunks or KDs, which have better tech, for 3/4s that price?
 
You know, I used to care about exclusivity, but now- not so much. Heck I would be ok with even more frequent retros of EVERYTHING alot quicker. I get sick of waiting for a certain shoe to come out that may not come out for years. Eff it, I want it and I want it NOW! Retro the concords every year for all I care.
 
I mean I understand but I kind of disagree. Most kids don't care or know about the Jordan shoe history. They just know he's jordan and owned the game. I actually see kids playing ball in retros quite a lot at my local parks and they seem like collectors I have seen 2s, 7s, 8s, 10s, 11s, 12s, 14s, 15s, 20s-2011s. I see them wearing air max, team jordans, and some retros for fashion as well. It's just the prices what I see that keep people from messing them up during basketball. Plus they are using old technology in retros which is why nikes, KDs, Brons, adidas, ect are more common cause you can get them for half the price. Also it's not a lack of creativity they are re releasing classic models because that's what most people want but I know if you have the ogs from 95 the retros from 99 and 05 you most likely won't want 2011 retros. They are releasing new colors but I think that the more important focus for them is creating new models. I'm not gonna lie I have designated basketball shoes and casual shoes. I'm not gonna play ball in my $170 altitudes or $150 varsity red 6s ect. I have about 15 pairs for working out such as iversons, converse wades, kobes, huaraches, Jordan 15se, Jordan 15s, Jordan 14s, Jordan 21s it's jet I like to wear my jordans off the court more. I'm not someone who walks funny to prevent creases I like my shoes to have some character and signs of wear but I definitely take care of my shoes I wear casually. It's just a persons preference on wear weather they want to take the newest retro to the court or to the mall to get looks it's what they are made for to be worn to the customers preference. Jordan don't want you only wearing his shoes on the court.
 
Originally Posted by arabianite3

You know, I used to care about exclusivity, but now- not so much. Heck I would be ok with even more frequent retros of EVERYTHING alot quicker. I get sick of waiting for a certain shoe to come out that may not come out for years. Eff it, I want it and I want it NOW! Retro the concords every year for all I care.
if you want the shoes then go on eBay or wherever and cop, it's not that hard....the shoes are widely available and these days for a reasonable price.
And if you think the prices are too high, then this hobby isn't for you (I can understand that the prices are up there, but that's MP and people will just have to accept that, I didn't mean any diss seeing as you've been here since 01 and obviously know whats up as far as sneaker culture goes). Nobody said this hobby was cheap. Besides, if you hold out long enough cheaper pairs pop up, even on eBay.

 If they retroed Concords every year they'd lose their appeal and they'd become played out, yes I said it. Why do you think JB waited the amount they did to retro them?
 
I think a lot of you guys are making great points in here, and I'm not trying to blast anyone who's just trying to enjoy the shoes for the sake of the shoes...

But the main point I want to drive home is don't lose sight of what Air Jordan was originally about.

Simply put they were basketball shoes crafted with impeccable quality and the most durable, high-performing materials available at the time of each release. They were innovative, awe-inspiring models designed for the most innovative, awe-inspiring ball player out there. They provided a link to the dream, incorporating flair and undeniable boldness.

You guys are right that Jordan Brand continues to manufacture basketball sneakers...but wedge the Jumpman off the side with a straight edge and you might as well have a pair of the newest nikes...the newest Adidas'...the newest poster-boy sneakers...whatever they are at the time. It's just not the same, man.

I don't have any problems with people showing the brand love, but it hurts to see the trend of retroing what hypebeasts remember as their "first releases" to appeal to THEIR memories...and not the memories of the die-hard dudes who beat the same pair to death on the court for two years straight because they'd worked too darn hard not to mowing lawns, delivering papers, painting benches, redeeming cans, and doing god knows what else just to get that fresh pair of J's they saw Jordan light it up in night after night after night...

Can you guys feel me on that?
 
I definitely feel you. Everyone does have their own unique opinion on jordans but that is correct that they aret the same to kids now. I would do anything for jordans in my childhood. I started getting jordans back in 1985. I wanted them more then anything. I would pocket lunch money and not eat all day at school, saved my allowance, did all the chores I did, used holiday money, did door to door sales just to have the money for the new jordans. Every year I would get a new pair of jordans for cutting the grass all year. Most kids don't work for thier Jordan and don't care about them that much. And yes the hypebeast and resellers hurts the passion some of us have. I remember the 23 premier release it was a raffle. Winners were old guys wearing beat new balances, girls wearing air forces, obvious people who just want to flip the shoes for a thousand dollars. I saw a lot of actual collectors and people who really wanted them get disappointed that day. It's just not the same. These new releases like the 2010 and 2011 aren't like the ogs in the late 80s.
 
man i cant read for that long but i did agree with what your saying thats why i feel like jordan whoring us out just to get a quick $$ fix, when they could so simply (keyword SIMP) do it so many other ways. actually release qs in random places versus the same stores....why not actually make it a possiblility to say i got certain jays that only came to my city.... rather then putting some bootleg colorway of the city's team....it seems so easy cuz im the consumer i guess, and i really know what would make the experience of copping kicks memorable again but maybe im just growing up and lanvin and gucci and android homme look more appealing?!?!?! im 22 if that matters
bless
 
I can feel you.  I remember the desire of wanting a pair of Air Jordans growing up.  There was nothing like it.  I would go to the mall and while my brothers hit the arcade, I hit the shoe store.  I would hold them and smell them.  I would go home and tell my mom that I wanted some Air Jordans.  Needless to say my mom wasn't spending $125 on a pair of Grape V's.  Especially since I had 2 brothers.  I still have that desire today although toned down a bit.  I don't believe that my memories have been overtaken by those of this younger generation.  I see kids looking at Jordans, Kobes, Lebrons, etc. and having that same glare in their eyes that I had and it makes me smile.  I see the mothers with the look on their face that says, "Not a chance."  I'm a 70's baby so I've been around since the beginning of Air Jordans.  With that being said, I can honestly tell you that I rarely saw anyone play basketball in their new Air Jordans.  And this is the early to mid 80's.  People only wore them when they got scuffed or scratched and it couldn't be cleaned with a toothbrush.
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  I remember buying my first pair of Columbia XI's and someone asked me to play a pick up game of basketball.  I told them that I didn't have any shoes!  They said, "But you are wearing Jordans."  I said, "They aren't those kind of shoes."
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I still ended up playing though.  Regardless of what has happened to the brand in recent years I'm still a shoe guy and my memories are still precious....to me.  In the end that's all that matters. 
 
Originally Posted by BronLe

^^^^They do release basketball shoes. Team Jordans and the Year line (2009, 2010, 2011).

Nobody buys Retros for ball, why would you drop 160 on some Retros when I can buy Hyperdunks or KDs, which have better tech, for 3/4s that price?


Even more so, you can go to the outlets and buy those same newer tech shoes for 25-60 bucks. I dont have a problem with the newer kids buying Jordans, Im cool with that. I DO HOWEVER have a problem with these kids buying my size 13 when they are rockin a size 8 because it sells for more.....

I could care less about what people know about Jordan. I know what I saw, I know what I watched, I know what I experience, that is what matters to me....
 
because JB is getting their bread up lol. re-releasing shoes out of popular demand, even if its been a couple of years only... they needa tigten up :tongue:
 
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