Aaron Kr. 
The first colorway of the Air Jordan 1 Low Bleached Coral Outfits officially hit retailers today, and to help celebrate the launch of Dwyane Wade’s second signature shoe from Jordan Brand, a special media event was held at Miami’s Jose Marti Gymnasium. Dwyane and Jordan Brand creative director, Andre Doxey were on hand to introduce the shoe and discuss the various technical aspects that went into its development and design. Dwyane started off the drops with a rundown of the things he looks for in a shoe. For D-Wade and the creation of his new signature model, the two paramount concerns are comfortability and durability, both factors that commonly come into play in shoe design, but that are addressed in some innovative new ways on the Fly Wade 2. Dwyane also noted that he sweats a lot and that it can have a negative impact on his feet and shoes, so enhanced breathability also became a point of emphasis on the shoe as well, eventually addressed on the Wade 2 with the use of a lightweight and airy Hyperfuse construction on the upper.
Picking up where the original Fly Wade model left off, the new shoe features some thoughtful upgrades to better suit Dwyane’s high-flying style of play and his ability to take off and land with maximum heel and ankle stability. The sole features edge to edge Lunarlon to ensure that the foot is well protected, all while maintaining a featherlight 12 oz weight that also improves on the blueprint from his first shoe. When it comes to the aesthetics of the Fly Wade 2, Dwyane had some firm guidelines in mind when he first sat down with the design team to discuss the direction of the new shoe. Wade noted that he looks for his shoes to be sleek and very clean and made the comparison to car designs, specifically Aston Martins. Aside from the way that notion inspired the lines and shapes of the shoe, it also appears to have effected the material choices as well. Dwyane explained that the matte finish seen on just about every colorway of the Fly Wade 2 was directly inspired by some of his favorite cars, and serves as a double threat with its subtle blend of style and tech.
After an entertaining Q&A session, the real fun kicked off as media attendees were invited to try out the shoe in not your average way. To simulate the feeling of “flight” that D-Wade enjoys regularly while soaring to the hoop, a trampoline was set up in front of one of the baskets so that participants could enjoy the aerial sensation for themselves. Even with the helpful boost, most media member dunks (or dunk attempts) were not quite on Dwyane’s level, but there was no arguing with the shoe’s comfort and super lightweight feel. To take your own shot at flying in the Air Jordan 1 Low Bleached Coral Outfits, check the first colorway out this years Air Jordan 14 collection with several more on the way soon.
