The Air Jordan 1 ‘Sail/University Red’ Packs Unexpected Twists

The isn’t running out of steam any time soon, but the new ‘Sail/University Red’ feels like a left-field remix rather than a straight-up retro. Scheduled for December with a price tag of $185, this one throws some curious curveballs at the purists.

The base is clean enough – ‘Sail’ leather uppers with pops of ‘University Red’ – but Jordan Brand don't stop there. Elephant print textures crash onto the Swoosh, an oversized ‘Flight’ script splashes across the outsole, and a tiny Jumpman gets hang time on the toe box – a small detail borrowed from Air Jordan 1 Low collaborations, which'll no doubt have social media warriors debating whether it’s genius or blasphemy.

Eric Koston’s fingerprints first landed on the Air Jordan 1 way back in 2019, when the skate legend helped Nike SB reinterpret the model with a series of low-top editions. His ‘Midnight Navy’ and ‘Powder Blue’ pairs tapped into UNC heritage while nodding to Koston’s own love for 80s basketball models, bringing skate credibility to a hardwood icon. The tiny Jumpman on the toe box of the new ‘Sail/University Red’ is a subtle lift from those SB colabs, a reminder of how Koston’s input blurred the line between skate and sneaker culture – and how those small design tweaks can ripple, years later, across the wider Jordan catalogue.

It’s been another solid year for the Air Jordan 1 in 2025. With its 40th anniversary in full swing, Jordan Brand have been leaning hard into retros, collaborations, and fresh makeovers. The x is keeping the silhouette relevant with the new generation, while old-heads have sunk their toes into classics like the ‘’ re-up. Other highlights include the and low-top edition,

Love it or hate it, the Air Jordan 1 ‘Sail/University Red’ is expected to arrive at retailers sometime in December.

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