Designed by Peter Moore and released in 1985, the Air Jordan I pair of sneakers was considered a breakthrough in basketball shoe design, although its design was improved upon later with the Nike Dunk. The shoe initially gained a great deal of publicity and interest when the National Basketball Association disallowed usage of the shoe during games because its vibrant black and red color violated the league's uniform rules and fined Michael Jordan five thousand dollars every time he wore the shoes during a game. Nonetheless, other shoe companies scrambled to emulate the design and introducing knock-off brands of the Air Jordan line.

When the Air Jordan I model was reintroduced in 2001, they sold out instantly.

The first colors unveiled were the banned black/red design, due to a violation within the leagues uniform policy regarding its lack of support.

On March 29, 2008, a Retro 1 tribute to Jordan's baseball days with the Birmingham Barons were released. The shoes were a quick strike release.