SKATEBOARDING and basketball, two sports that share very little similarities on a technical level – however, aesthetically the duo tend to cross paths once a specific characteristic is introduced. Sneakers.

But why? Why did silhouettes such as the Jordan 1 become so transferable between sports that otherwise share zero similarities?

The Jordan 1 was introduced in 1985, a pair that was designed to have a very flat sole-plate and high-cut ankle support. Initially the basketball shoe retailed at $65, a longshot and relatively high price when Vans, for example, offered purpose-built sneakers at a fraction of the cost. We can look at the Bones Brigade which included the likes of Tony Hawk, who as a team were one of the first to ‘break mould’ and skate Jordans.

These days, Jordan 1 retail tends to sit around a handsome £130 – twice the original dollar price.

We now see Jordan Brand working with Lance Mountain and Nigel Sylvester amongst others, to combine both sports conceptually within a publically available revamp of the coveted Jordan 1.

All picture credit goes to COMPLEX.