In the lineage of the Air Jordan lineup, the Air Jordan 17 holds a special place in the hearts of collectors and fans of Michael Jordan. While the GOAT had retired from the NBA after his second three-peat with the Chicago Bulls in 1998, wearing the Air Jordan 14 Last Shot during his final moments on the court, his controversial return with the Washington Wizards saw him lace up the Air Jordan 17 in 2002. Retros of the expensive and limited AJ 17 has just begun, and to follow up on the low-top Lightning and University Blue releases, Jordan Brand has tapped Infinite Archives to collaborate on the sneaker.
Marking the first collaboration on the sneaker since Solefly’s take on the sneaker in 2018, Infinite Archives applies a clean, neutral base to the upper with purple and black accents throughout. Inspiration for the design comes from Mike Bibby’s Air Jordan 17 Low PE from his time on the Sacramento Kings, with the slightly aged upper on this Infinite Archives pair being an interpretation of what the pair would look like 20-plus years later. Bibby joined Team Jordan in 1999 as one of the first NBA athletes (outside of Michael Jordan) to be signed to Jordan Brand, and his Air Jordan 17 Low PE is one of the most sought-after from his immense collection of exclusive sneakers.
The upper itself takes on a two-tone finish, with the eyelets and internal bootie in stark black, while the leather on the bottom half of the upper comes in a light cream shade dubbed beach. A chrome finish is applied to the Jordan-branded heel tab, while a purple tag for Infinite Archives is attached to the collar. Though not fully visible in the photo, it also appears that the heel might contain more branding for Infinite Archives. The purple and cream AJ 17 midsole finishes the design and is paired with a multi-color outsole.
For those unfamiliar with Infinite Archives, the brand and visual archive was founded in 2015 by Isimeme "Easy" Otabor. Born and raised in Chicago, Easy entered the fashion and art world by rising the ranks at RSVP Gallery, a boutique founded by Don C and Virgil Abloh. As for the brand itself, Easy has taken his love for history and applied it to a multi-faceted brand that covers more than just apparel and art but home goods, electronics, and more. Each calendar year, the brand focuses on a year from the past, with 2025 having the brand cover the year 2002. It's fitting that Infinite Archives is getting an AJ 17, as the sneaker was first released in February '02.
The Infinite Archives x Air Jordan 17 Low will release in 2025 through Nike SNKRS, Infinite Archives, and possibly via select Jordan Brand retailers online and in-store. Available in men’s sizing, the retail price is $300. Download the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
Images via Easy Otabor
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
