History & Celebrations of the Air Jordan XI “Concord” at The Grail Tour
The Air Jordan XI “Concord” is re-releasing in some unique circumstances. Most notably, it’s reportedly going to be more widely available. More people will be able to get a hold of these grails, so it’s a great time to learn about this historic shoe and its impact on the basketball and sneaker world. Thanks to the Jordan Brand and The Grail Tour, the Foot District community was able to hear the inside scoop of the story behind the shoe (and all its different chapters) and celebrated together in honor of The Grail Tour on Saturday, November 24th, in our Foot District Barcelona store.
Earlier this year, Jumpman decided to bring the tour to select retailers across the globe, and, guess who was selected as the last stop on their European tour?! That’s right, Foot District Barcelona. Preparations were made to greet the Jordan team and to set up for The Grail Tour.
The Foot District team put together a small gathering and invited 50 people to their Barcelona location. The Jumpman crew came bearing gifts, including an early pair of the Air Jordan 11 “Concord” for 20 lucky guests. Releasing on December 8th, this retro maintains its grail-like qualities, so this early holiday surprise was a real treat. The biggest thrill for all who attended was a live exhibition of seven different OG iterations of the Air Jordan 11, all worn in-game, and all that came with a free history lesson.
Each Jordan had a story. The OG pairs were prominently on display within our Jordan Cube, along with customized decoration next to each one to complement the historic shoes and to give the attendees a further understanding. Videos about each one played on screen in the Jordan Cube and inside scoop details were shared by Jordan storyteller @gerard_og_vi . From legendary performances to unforgettable looks, these particular pairs were something extra special and all who witnessed them had a whole lot of wisdom passed down to them that day.
Of course, it was also a really cool party. There was a DJ, photo booth, drinks, laughs, and lots of chatting about what everyone was copping for the holiday sales.
The Shoe
The Air Jordan 11 “Concord” has been a bit elusive. We haven’t seen this shoe release for quite some time now. The last time this iteration dropped was back in 2011. Since then, fans have been waiting anxiously. Of course, there will be differences this time. The 2018 release features all of the standards. Patent leather, white base, icy sole. But, there are some interesting additions as well… and we can tell you, from what we saw firsthand:
For one, the heel will be different. This iteration will be without 2011’s ‘23’ script. Instead, the heel end will sport MJ’s later ‘45’. As many will recall, this was also the case with the most recent “Space Jam” release. It’s a great addition for OG Jordan heads. After all, this was the number MJ was wearing when the shoe first dropped back in 1995, the year that MJ returned to the NBA after taking time off to play Minor League Baseball. It carries with it that feeling of returning to what you love.
Adding the 45 will hopefully help calm the more critical fans. The 2011 release left many wanting more. The patent leather seemed to be off. The sole wasn’t quite right. To many, that drop just felt like it was lacking something.
Now, the “Concord” returns in all of its grail glory, aimed at true Jordan heads. It can be yours, December 8th, here at Foot District.
