A fan-favorite Air Jordan sneaker, which was memorably worn in NBA action by the late Kobe Bryant, is due to receive its first reissue in nearly a decade.
The Air Jordan 12 Retro French Blue is officially confirmed to return this summer, and in advance of official Nike e-commerce photography, a detailed look at the sneakers has surfaced courtesy of resale platform GOAT.
As seen in the new images, the colorway retains all of its original flair, including a ribbed leather upper inspired by the Japanese flag, French Blue accents on the midsole (including on the Air Jordan 12’s reptile-textured mudguard), Metallic Silver eyelets and Varsity Red accents on the heel and outsole.
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The French Blue Air Jordan 12 has a particularly unique history. It was originally intended to be worn by Michael Jordan during his brief stint with the Washington Wizards, the last team he played with professionally. An early sample version of the sneaker used black contrast color and copper accents to match the team’s uniforms.
However, Jordan retired for a final time in early 2003, which meant he wasn’t around to wear the French Blue style upon its 2004 launch. Instead, the Air Jordan 12 legacy was carried on by young players in both college and professional basketball who favored the style. Most notably, the shoe was worn by Bryant and rookie Carmelo Anthony along with stars such as Richard Hamilton and Gary Payton.
Following its ’04 debut, Jordan Brand has only issued the Air Jordan 12 Retro French Blue in its original form once with a 2016 rerelease. A low-top golf version of the colorway was launched in 2022, but it’s been nearly 10 years since fans had a chance to lace up the original model, which is somewhat surprising given the significance of the Air Jordan Retro line to Nike Inc.’s business.
That’s set to change in the coming months as the Air Jordan 12 Retro French Blue will be released from Nike’s Snkrs app and select Jordan Brand retailers on Aug. 16. The pair will be made available in full-family sizing with adult pairs (CT8013-114) priced at $210.
