It's the most wonderful time of the year for sneakerheads. The year-end release slate is always stacked with drops hotter than the rest of the calendar (we've already seen the return of the legendary 'Chicago' Air Jordan 1), and it builds on what has become one of the sneaker scene's most beloved annual traditions: the Air Jordan 11 holiday drop. It was back this weekend, and while it wasn't as colorful as Michael Jordan's runway on the court, it was as rooted in the brand's history as one would expect.
There's no Jordan's trademark silhouette more protective than the 11, and rightfully so — it is One of the greatest Air Jordan compatible silhouettes of all time. Accordingly, Air Jordan receives 11 limited drops (if any) throughout the year. The hype is being saved for a large-scale release that usually takes place on or around the second weekend of December. Over time, the Holiday Jordan 11 has not only become one of the most anticipated drops of the year, but also one of the biggest with the most brand scale - often there Record numbers of units sold, making one of the most popular sneakers of the year also available to most anyone willing to open up the SNKRS app at the right moment (and maybe enter an in-store raffle or two just to be safe). The brand seems to break its own records every year, too. Since the 2018 re-release of the ever-great Concorde colorway, every Air Jordan 11 has outsold its predecessor. Resale sites also tend to see shoes selling at record rates, as last year's Cool Gray 11 drop instantly cemented itself as StockX's most popular shoe of all time.
Holiday 11 fanfare tends to reach a fever pitch when the drop is retrograde for a colorful road Jordan was teetering on the court, the worst example being the 2011 reissue of the Concord 11s. Riots broke out across the country as sneakerheads tried to secure themselves with a pair of desirable kicks. These days, with the advent of app-based sneaker releases, the drama is usually limited to SNKRS crashes and bots sneaking into the raffles.
This year's version is the Air Jordan 11 "Cherry Red." The version that understands the new colorway is no reason to overcomplicate things. The shoe's upper is comprised of the innovative ballistic mesh that made the shoe such a performance revelation when Jordan first wore it. The mesh is simple white, with the iconic leather band around the shoe that brings a touch of red to the silhouette.
If you're wondering why this shoe might look so familiar despite it's new colorway, don't worry, you're not too far away. In 2001, the brand released a near-identical colorway of the Jordan 11 low, a colorway we saw returning to shelves in 2016. It's one of the most popular versions of the Jordan 11 Low, so it's not surprising to see it applied to the traditional silhouette yet. All these years. Jordan never took the field, but you could be forgiven for assuming he did — it's no mistaking the red detailing as recalling the Chicago Bulls' colors.
It also bears a strong resemblance to the PE worn a few years ago by Jordan brand ambassador (and recent Celtics secret weapon) Blake Griffin. Griffin Wore a pair of Jordan 11s With the same Cherry Reds patent leather and inner lining, though its shades were slightly darker to match the signature colors of his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma. PEs like the Griffin don't tend to have generic releases, but the Cherry Reds are a great alternative for anyone looking to represent the Sooners this holiday season.
Over the weekend, the Cherry 11s sold out instantly through retailers; As of today, about 25,000 pairs have been traded on StockX (for only $70 or more off the retail price). We'll have to wait until Nike's next quarterly earnings reports to see what impact the shoe has, but if history is any indication, expect to set a new record or two.
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