As opposed to the Neutral Grey/Hyper Crimson colorway, this particular pair of 1s is a little more restrained.
The Air Jordan 1 Defiant Couture is a send up to high fashion sneakers – specifically the kind that took their design from the AJ1! The shoe features a red hand-painted stripe on both sneakers.
If you struggle with outfits, black and red Air Jordan 1s are your friend. Even with the uneven paneling, these look great with an all black fit or dark blue denim. Joggers work well with these too.
The shoes are bold enough to still stick out even with a more accessorized outfit. Add some pops of red, white and grey into your attire to play off the shoe a bit, as these kicks ride the fine line between low key and attention getting.
Plain and simple, these are dope and do not deserve the hate. If anything, the shoe exposes some of the irrational ways we tend to look at things as sneaker collectors. That said, given the deep creases these get, buy them only to wear them and don’t worry about reselling them for profit unless you plan on keeping them deadstock.
How Are The Materials?
These received a bit of backlash from sneakerheads due to perceived poor quality. This is mostly based off of the shiny look of the leather and the near-instant creases that form when worn. This is a case where you can take the majority’s opinion with a grain of salt, as most sneaker collectors are not the leather experts they profess to be.
The truth is, Air Jordan 1s will eventually crease like any shoe, and this shiny leather is not the same infamous shiny plastic leather from the 2010-2012 Jordan releases. A different finish was used on this leather as compared to other Jordan releases and as such, it is shinier and creases a bit faster, but this is independent of the actual quality/thickness of leather used, which is actually typical of a modern Jordan release.
How Do They Fit?
Typical Air Jordan 1 fit, these Defiant Couture fit narrow – go with your true Nike size and you’re good to go. They’re comfortable enough for hanging out in, but I advise against wearing these for too long or doing anything remotely athletic in them.
Where To Cop the Air Jordan 1 Defiant Couture
As of the writing of this article, you can find them on eBay
Colorway: Black / Gym Red – Muslin
Style Code: BQ6682 006
Year of Release: 2019
MSRP: $175