Air Jordan VII

Air Jordan VII

Designer: Tinker Hatfield

Released: 1992

Like Michael Jordan, Tinker Hatfield set out to repeat as a winner with a championship-caliber design on the Air Jordan VII. Released in 1992, the AJ VII drew inspiration from West African tribal art, with bold lines on the midsole. It also incorporated Nike's Huarache technology - named for a Mexican style of sandal - as a neoprene inner booty to improve comfort and fit. This helped eliminate extra weight and made it one of the lightest basketball shoes at the time. The visual paid homage to west African tribal art, featuring bold lines on the midsole. A USA colorway released later that year commemorated the "Dream Team," Team USA that went on to dominate international competition. This was white, trimmed in blue, red, and gold. The AJ VII bid farewell to the visible Air-Sole, the translucent outsole, and the prominent Nike Air logo (except on the insole). The upper carried over the toecap from the VI. Among other changes in the Air Jordan series, ads shifted from MJ's collaboration with Mars Blackmon to Michael and Bugs Bunny. One commercial featured the duo both wearing the AJ VII beating another team in a game of hoops. MJ wore the Olympic-inspired colorway to a gold medal with the incomparable "Dream Team" at the 1992 summer games in Barcelona. That pair featured the number 9 on the heel, MJ's jersey number on Team USA. He won his sixth straight scoring title while wearing the AJ VII and was again named first team All-NBA, first team All-Defense and an All-Star for the seventh consecutive time. He was voted league MVP for the second straight year and won his second NBA Championship ring and Finals MVP with Chicago.