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Object Timeline

1996

  • Work on this object began.

2002

  • We acquired this object.

2011

2013

2014

2021

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Drawing, Concept Design for Air Jordan XIII Sneaker, 1996

This is a Drawing. It was designed by Tinker Hatfield and manufactured by Nike. We acquired it in 2002. Its medium is black and color marking pens, turquoise, blue crayon on tracing paper. It is a part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design department.

Nike’s campaign for the Air Jordan line of sneakers, executed by Tinker Hatfield in collaboration with Michael Jordan, is an excellent example of branding: creating a brand image that sums up a product mythology. With the 13 different Air Jordan models that Hatfield created from 1981 through 1998, he pioneered a sneaker design language that catapulted the Nike/Jordan line from an ordinary product to a superbrand. The fluid, bulging, black and red honeycomb ornament of the Air Jordan XIII model plays on the image of Michael Jordan’s bulging muscles in his red Chicago Bull’s uniform.
While Cooper-Hewitt does not collect fashion or shoe design, we do collect drawings for corporate graphic design and logos. This is the most visually powerful example of the Nike drawings exhibited in the museum’s National Design Triennial in 2000. The Air Jordan XIII was part of a trendsetting product campaign and reflects the influence of Michael Jordan on American consumer culture.

This object was featured in our Object of the Week series in a post titled Building a Shoe.

This object was donated by Nike.

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Cite this object as

Drawing, Concept Design for Air Jordan XIII Sneaker, 1996; Designed by Tinker Hatfield (American, b. 1952); USA; black and color marking pens, turquoise, blue crayon on tracing paper; 2002-1-1

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Making Design.

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