Jordan Brand Reveals the Highly-Anticipated Air Jordan 35

Peter Verry
·3 min read

After countless leaks on social media, Jordan Brand has unveiled the Air Jordan 35.

The athletic powerhouse revealed the latest look in NBA icon Michael Jordan’s ongoing signature franchise, the Air Jordan 35, a court-ready sneaker with its most evolved cushioning system to date.

For the Air Jordan 35, the company included an advanced version of the Eclipse Plate that was introduced on the prior shoe — dubbed Eclipse Plate 2.0 — in an effort to further unlock the responsiveness of the Zoom Air cushioning in the heel and forefoot.

According to Jordan Brand, the Eclipse Plate 2.0 wraps higher along the midsole for improved lateral structure and support. Also, a visible Zoom Air unit was added in the heel to provide space for the Air bags to expand and contract when making moves on the court. (This differs from the Air Jordan 34, a shoe with an encased Zoom Air unit.) The sole unit is completed with a traditional herringbone traction pattern on the outsole.

“The 35 is comfortable, supportive and lightweight, to the point that I don’t even feel like I’m wearing it,” NBA star Jayson Tatum said of the shoe in a statement. “I can play my style without even thinking about it. I was shocked that Jordan could take the Eclipse Plate in the 34 and upgrade it in the 35.”

Another tech unique to Jordan Brand footwear that is used on the Air Jordan 35 is Flightwire, which is a version of Nike Flywire that is designed to keep the foot locked down while remaining sleek and lightweight. Also, a Kurim cage underneath the Flightwire was added for additional support.

“I feel so athletic in the new Eclipse Plate. I can feel it especially when I get into the lane — to be able to plant, go up, create contact and finish,” WNBA star Kia Nurse said in a statement. “Every time I get a board, I want to tell my teammates, ‘You saw my bounce, right?'”

Aside from tech, Jordan Brand said the shoe’s aesthetics were also a priority. It includes nods to past looks, specifically the Air Jordan 5, with the design of the top of its tongue top design, Kurim detailing and molded foam pods around the collar. From a material standpoint, it features premium materials such as suede — which is a nod to the brand’s heritage of luxury — but used with function in mind.

“Integrating premium materials and textures was a priority for the Air Jordan XXXV,” Jordan Brand footwear designer Tate Kuerbis said in a statement. “The brand has a history of giving these materials an aspirational quality. When players see it, when they touch it, they feel like they have the power of the Jumpman behind them. Everything we do has to tie back to making the best basketball shoe on the planet.”

The debut colorway, dubbed “Center of Gravity,” arrives Sept. 27 in China via Jordan.com and select retailers, with a global launch scheduled for Oct. 17.

Subsequent colorways include the black and red “Warrior” — inspired by Jordan Brand athlete Rui Hachimura — on Oct. 21, one inspired by the Air Jordan 5 “Fire Red” on Nov. 11, the “Bayou Boys” iteration inspired by Zion Williamson on Nov. 30 and “Morpho” style inspired by Chinese baller Guo Ailun on Dec. 24 (which will drop in China).

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