In 1985, NIKE, faced the challenge of convincing established "mom-and-pop" shops across the U.S. to make shelf space for Michael Jordan's first signature sneaker, despite him being a young athlete who had yet to prove himself on the NBA hardwood. The Air Jordan 1 was priced at $65, which was considered a risky move by many store owners. As a result, some had to heavily discount their stock when it didn't sell. This is where the product took its design cues from.