The $300 Air Jordan 17 Low ‘Lightning’ Sneaker With Briefcase Is So Limited It Won’t Be on Snkrs
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The Air Jordan 17 Low “Lightning” and its accompanying metal briefcase have raised eyebrows for months with a whopping $300 price tag confirmed well ahead of the release. Yet another surprise has now come to light, as the sneaker won’t release through Nike’s Snkrs app and will instead be limited to select local retailers.
A late-May launch sees the Air Jordan 17 Low “Lightning” getting a rerelease for the first time since its introduction in 2002. Michael Jordan wore the sneaker during his 2002 NBA All-Star appearance, his second to last, and it’s widely regarded as the best low-top version of the sneaker, if not one of the best 17s overall. (Several sneaker blogs have reported Jordan wearing the sneaker in his last-ever All-Star appearance in 2003, which is inaccurate — his shoe of choice for the occasion was the Air Jordan 18 “White Sport Royal.”)
Although the 17 Low “Lightning” wasn’t initially released with the metal briefcase for its packaging, other 17s were and Jordan-fanatics are rejoicing in the return of the hard case. This may be because the Air Jordan 17 barely been released at all following the initial run. Since then, the 2008 “Countdown” pack and 2016 Air Jordan 17+ “Copper” have marked the lone occasion for the sneaker’s return outside of only a few collaborations.
Wilson Smith III designed the Air Jordan 17 and took inspiration from jazz music, an Aston Martin and a golf course at which Jordan had played. Besides jazz proving an apt metaphor for Jordan’s game, he had also signed the saxophonist Mike Phillips to his brand to make him the first musician with a deal at Jordan Brand or Nike. A removable lace shroud was done away with entirely for the 17 Low, while the lower-slung ankle added a snug, bootie-like collar.
The Air Jordan 17 Low “Lightning” will release May 30 exclusively for select Jordan Brand Nbhd stores, a designation that has been given to retailers with strong connections to their respective localities. Among the stockists are A Ma Maniére, APB, Extra Butter, Kith, Social Status and Stashed — and each is handling the release in their own way.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
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