What We Learned From Jordan Brand’s Exclusive “Retro Remaster” Event

Last night, Jordan Brand invited a small group of sneaker media members to a very exclusive event that revealed some of their Spring 2015 "Remastered Retro" collection and your homies over here at ANTENNA were in the building. While the biggest news of the night may have been about a sneaker we WON'T be seeing any time soon, there was plenty of forthcoming fire to dissect.

As many of you may already know, Jordan Brand has decided to return to a more classic style of sneaker making, most specifically for their OG models. From what we saw during our hands-on experience, we can confidently say that not only did Jordan execute their plan well, but it far exceeded the expectations of everyone in attendance, so much so that audible "Ooohs" and "Ahhhs" were heard from the group and one attendee even went so far as to feign a heart attack (yes, yours truly).

Listen, it's obvious that the public is very interested in OG retro colorways like the "Oreo" IVs, "Columbia" IVs, "Chicago" Xs and the "French Blue" VIIs to be released, but trust us when we tell you guys, the new colorways are nothing to sleep on. It may be due to the fact that the materials of the sneakers help the overall aesthetic of the sneaker — no longer are you getting a sneaker where aesthetic is the sole base of judgement for if the sneaker is hot or not. Starting in Spring 2015, the materials that will be used will start to play a crucial role in the overall value of sneakers, at least as far as JB is concerned.

In person, the "Teal" IVs and the "Bulls over Broadway" Xs (the name is a dagger in the hearts of Knicks fans) are true masterpieces. The two sneakers may come off as a little obnoxious when you see them through leaked photos on the internet — that's a lot of red to be put on a pair of Xs. But when you see them in real life, and notice how well the leather reacts to light with the slight imperfections it may have (because it isn't plastic) it's obvious that the sneakers will only wear better over time to truly create a unique patina to the wearer, much like a premium shoe would at double the price of what these will retail at.

Jordan Brand went back to the drawing board with this project, starting from the very beginning of the shoe making process at the factories. There was a concerted effort to seek out the best shoe makers they could find to make the shoes and eliminate speed from the process. Unlike other brands that just want more, Jordan has decided to focus on putting out the best, and the best, admittedly, takes time. Like Jordan himself getting cut from the Varsity team back in high school, only to practice more, putting in time leads to greatness. It's a real safe bet to say that these will be some of the best quality sneakers that will be available at this price point when they eventually hit retail.

Jordan Brand really hit a home run (er, buzzer-beater?) with this new endeavor. New sneaker enthusiasts, old sneaker enthusiasts, and even retired sneaker enthusiasts will appreciate what Jordan is really trying to do here. Check out the slideshow above to see the range of men's sneakers that will be set to release in Spring 2015 and let us know what you think of the sneakers below in the comments.