While many sneakerheads have celebrated collections, few come as close to Mayor’s comprehensive vault, which shelves the most prized releases and rare samples alike. And as the ball drops for 2023, Mayor also relinquishes pictures of a never-seen-before fragment design x Nike Air Jordan 1 sample.

What gave it away as a fragment collaborative drop? The quintessential lightning bolt stamped on the lateral side in black, of course! But apart from the obvious logo placement, everything else differs slightly. The 2014 retail release saw the AJ1 dressed in “Black Toe” colorblocking with a predominantly white base overlaid with panels of blue and black. This sample pair instead dresses in the Jordans’ infamous “Royal” look — a black base is accentuated with hits of electric blue. 

More interestingly is the textured design layered onto the colorway. While the OG saw smooth leathers that are a crowd pleaser, this sample adopts the scaled look of crocodiles. This added premium elevates the pair and makes us lament its scrapped status. 

While it’s unlikely that this sample will make its way to retail shelves, it’s still a rare look that’s worth discussing. Why was this put in the backburner in favor of the Black Toe colorblock and why did it take Mayor so many years to release pictures? Regardless, should a release date be on the horizon, we’ll be sure to update this article so keep this page in your bookmarks! 

In other collaborative revivals, the Nike SB Dunk team is reportedly unarchiving its “Heineken” colorway.