PSG x Jordan changed the face of football culture, ushering in a new era of cross-over collaboration. Now, as we anticipate a second kit from what is its fourth year, we look back at all the drops from the trailblazing partnership.
The collaboration between PSG and Jordan brand was one of the biggest and most revolutionary in the game, crossing borders between football and basketball for the first time ever. It didn’t just open doors, it smashed them to pieces, showing a new wave of what was possible in the realms of football fashion and starting a new chapter in football culture. Back in early 2021, PSG activated a year-long extension to their existing €200million three-year deal with Jordan, taking the highly successful partnership into the 2021/2022 season, but as we edge towards the end of that deal there's been no word of anything further...
So for what is PSG x Jordan’s fourth year, the Jumpman finally got the promotion to the coveted home shirt, but was it a final flourish? As the world eagerly awaits the club’s rumoured new fourth shirt, the question is: will it be the last from the collab? With no news on a further extension, we’re left guessing. But if it is coming to and end, it’s been one hell of a ride. So get comfortable, and enjoy looking back on every drop from the PSG x Jordan collaboration to date.
First sights and Air Jordan 5 – May, July, August 2018
At first, the rumour of a crossover with PSG was nothing more than that, a rumour gaining momentum with every whispered word. Just hours after Paris Saint-Germain sealed a domestic treble by lifting the Coupe de France in 2018, images emerged of an Air Jordan 5 Retro sneaker that paid tribute to the Parisian power houses of footballing style, lending further fuel to the speculative fire. The hype train was gathering pace, and as time passed it appeared that it was not only accepting passengers from the sporting world. Rumour shifted into full on tease mode when confirmation of the collaboration was pretty much signed, sealed and delivered with Justin Timberlake and Travis Scott stepping out for their respective shows in France wearing co-branded PSG x Jordan items.
Initial drop – September 2018
What had yet to be confirmed at this point however, was whether this drop would sit purely in lifestyle circles, as with previous club collaborations. But all the speculation was put to rest when PSG became the first elite club to have kits produced by a non-footballing brand, with not one, but two special edition match kits produced by Jordan, which the club wore exclusively in the Champions League. These were obviously backed up by a whole range of apparel, sneakers, and boots, and chief among them was the Air Jordan V, which featured the new modified PSG badge on the heel. The upper featured a clean black and white combo, with more Parisian detailing that extended to the midsole. Michael Jordan’s signature “23” is replaced by “75” to mark the Paris zip code. As if that wasn't exclusive enough, a special inverted 'Family & Friends' version was also created. Pure dream material, that.
The performance side of things was supported by a solid lifestyle approach, with further pieces dripping onto the scene in November, this time headlined by a low-key Air Jordan 1 Retro High, which took on a modest black and white front that was typical of the collaboration.
Lifestyle Refresh – February 2019
The sheer demand for that initial drop provided instant appetite for any further follow up, and sure enough it followed a mere couple of months later, with a fresh lifestyle capsule, which the PSG team were only too quick to model on their travels. The 14-piece collection featured a “White/Black” design that flipped the primary colours of the debut line by letting white lead black across the whole range, tying in nicely with the PSG Champions League away kit.
Season Two, First Drop – June/July 2019
Striding into a second season of style ahead of the 2019/20 campaign, PSG x Jordan unleashed a full repertoire of on and off-pitch gear. The lifestyle side of things opened proceedings, with Kylian Mbappé first showing off some statement pieces as he ventured out to Venice Beach. An Air Jordan VI headlined the sneakers, using infrared detailing on the Jumpman logos found on the tongue tabs and bottom sole, and on the lace locks and “PANAME” heel tags. “Paris” and “75” branding also took their place on the lace locks, while a PSG crest hit up the heels.
The evolution of the expanded collection followed the theme of allegiance and community by going back to the city and its fans. Classic Jordan Brand flare was expressed through graphics that were inspired by the Air Jordan VI and Infrared colour combination.
PSG and the Jordan Brand continued to rewrite the rule book in terms of lifestyle and jersey culture, and the basketball brand’s influence on the 19/20 away design was clear to see, flooded as it was in the iconic infrared shade first introduced on the Air Jordan VI back in 1991. The collaboration veered away from dropping two shirts at the same time, as they did in their opening season, instead stretching out the appeal across the whole season with two drops…
Season Two, Second Drop – January 2020
Kicking off a new decade and not disappointing, PSG unveiled their fourth kit, and their first of a new decade. They once again pushed the Swoosh aside to let the Jumpman logo dance on an understated black kit with a vibrant French tricolour flag running down the middle of the jersey.
Of course, it was joined by a full lifestyle repertoire, which had already made headlines when NBA star Zion Williamson stepped out in the match day tracksuit. Those same tracksuits were then worn by Mbappé, Neymar and Icardi when they linked up with the Charlotte Hornets squad at the Parc des Princes, further strengthening the relationship between the two sports.
On the footwear side of things, the drop saw two pieces, with the Jordan Aerospace 720 and Jordan Max 200 getting suitably suited up in black, red and blue colourways that corresponded with the wider collection.
Women’s Collection – February 2020
Unveiled at an event at Galeries Lafayette on the Champs-Elysées in Paris, which saw PSG Féminine players Marie Antoinette Katoto and Grace Geyoro in attendance, PSG x Jordan continued to build one their success with the launch of their first women’s-specific collection. The collection saw hoodies, sweat pants, tees and other accessories in a mainly white presentation, with blue and red accents popping throughout.
Season Three, First Drop – October 2020
A selection of sneaker teased the look of the season three kit and collection, and sure enough it didn’t disappoint, bringing a unique Bordeaux colour that nodded to the colour of the Air Jordan VII, debuted by Michael Jordan on the floors of the 1992 NBA All-Star Game – the brand’s first pair to feature it. The third shirt boasted the bold defiance of the Jumpman, seamlessly aligned with the sophisticated flair of Parisian fashion, continuing the elevation of sportswear couture and exposing both brands to new audiences.
The wider clothing collection also saw the debut of what has to be one of the best matchday tracksuits of recent years. Absolute banger. Those previously mentioned sneakers that acted as harbingers for the collection were the Air Jordan 4, and – not content with dominating the football and basketball spaces – the Air Zoom Renegade and Zoom 92 running shoes. All three models were decked out in the colour scheme of the collection.
Season Three, Second Drop – January 2021
Once again heralded by a sneaker sneak peek (the Air Jordan 1 High Zoom CMFT, which included a metallic purple PSG badge on the heel and an airbrush mix of “Psychic Purple/Hyper Pink” sitting on the collar, hinting at what was to come) and an NBA star en-route to a game (Boston Celtic’s Jayson Tatum) the fourth kit and apparel collection landed in a retro blast of hyper-colour goodness. Despite the psychedelic colour scheme, the shirt design put emphasis on the Jordan Point of View (POV) neckline, which combined V-neck and crew neck into one to bring to life new design lines, mimicking the broken side seam on the jersey and the iconic Jordan diamond short.
The full performance collection, including the pre-match top, drill top and drill pants, featured a new “PARIS” repeating graphic inspired by type from space shuttles. There you go.
Season Four, First Drop – May 2021
An Air Jordan 7 was the precursor to a big move that saw the Jumpman promoted to the home shirt for the first time, having previously only been present on away and third shirts. The design abandoned the traditional look of the Hechter centre stripe, with the white and red moving to the collar and cuffs instead, leaving said stripe present, but barely visible in monotone. It was more reminiscent of basketball jerseys in itself, but that was nothing compared to the design execution on the shorts, which took cues from memorable Chicago Bulls kits, in particular through those diamond side panels, bringing classic basketball iconography right on to the pitch.
Of course it was also backed up by a full clothing collection that placed the club’s traditional colours at its heart, offset by that Jumpman logo throughout. The Air Jordan 7 expanded the imaginative design of Tinker Hatfield by swapping the mid-foot and ankle panels for transparent mesh windows. Not only did it improve breathability and offer a unique detail never seen in the AJ7, but it actually touched on Hatfield’s intent to reduce weight to the footwear. Revealed through these panels was the “ICI C’EST PARIS” callout that had become so synonymous with the club.
Season Four Lifestyle Drop – December 2021
Breaking away from the conventions of their partnership to date, PSG x Jordan abandoned any links to performance apparel for a collection that was purely lifestyle oriented. The capsule arrived with seasonal green hues throughout, combined with black tones, some signature font style, and of course the Jumpman combined with the Parisian club’s branding lend the perfect sign off to the collection.
And that brings us bang up to date. Expecting the new fourth kit any day now, but further than that... who knows!
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