For a time now, the street culture landscape—in the domain of music, fashion, and footwear—has been Travis Scott’s utopia. For brevity, we won’t expound on the successes of his Cactus Jack imprint due to its magnitude, save for his partnership with Nike, which stands at the very pinnacle of successful collaborations.

Drake may have more Grammys but would anybody really choose a NOCTA collaboration over a Cactus Jack one? Despite the providence, what adidas YEEZY was supposed to be, expected to be, aspired to be, that’s what Travis Scott x Nike is.

A lucrative partnership unprecedented, with some pairs even going for 1000% in the secondary market. A mighty money machine where any lucky enough to have their slice of the cake, can eat it too.

Case in point: the fragment design x Travis Scott x Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG, his “Dark Mocha” Nike Air Jordan 1 Low, and his Nike SB Dunk Low.

FRGMT x Travis Scott x Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG; Travis Scott x Nike Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Dark Mocha”; Travis Scott x Nike SB Dunk Low

While the Swoosh and Scott have collaborated on numerous silhouettes, including the Air Force 1, Air Trainer 1, and the Mac Attack, neither have quite reached the apotheosis of his Air Jordan 1s and its many variants.

Audience fatigue may be setting in however attested by this year’s “Medium Olive” AJ1 Low OG, which failed to recreate the success of its predecessors. When the final “Black Olive” colorway is released, what’s next for the “Jordan and Pippen” of sneakers—Jordan and Travis Scott?

An early look at the Jordan Jumpman Jack “Medium Olive”

Introducing: The Jordan Jumpman Jack

Hitherto 2024, Michael Jordan was nonpareil, the only athlete boasting his own Nike sub-label. Now, Travis Scott is poised to join him in the pantheon with the upcoming release of the titular Jordan Jumpman Jack.

The original silhouette, while possessing a distinct enough identity, bears undeniable traces of its lineage to the archetypal Nike Air Jordan 1. Throughout the year, Travis Scott has created an enigma around his shoes with the only shots of them until in recent months, were on his feet.

However, initial reactions to the Jumpman Jack have been mixed. Some praise its originality and potential to become a classic, while others express concerns about its resemblance to existing models and question its necessity.

This division in opinion highlights the potential challenge its makers face in establishing the Jumpman Jack as the next evolution of their partnership.

So, the question remains: the Jordan Jumpman Jack is aimed to fortify Nike and Travis Scott’s stronghold on the landscape… but will it? As Steve Jobs said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards.” Let’s explore.

Jordan Jumpman Jack “Medium Olive”

What Made Travis Scott x Nike So Successful?

Travis Scott’s reign was the result of a perfect storm that culminated in 2019 with the release of the Travis Scott x Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG “Dark Mocha”. Even before this iconic collaboration, Scott had already built considerable momentum since his entry into the mainstream zeitgeist under the wings of Ye.

In the years after, he transitioned from protégé to prodigy. His music, fashion sense, and omnipresence in the news cycle (fueled in part by his relationship with the Kardashians) coalesced into his metamorphosis to become an undeniable commercial tour de force.

Other, arguably more talented artists like Kendrick Lamar have had collabs with Nike (Cortez and React Element 55), but his focus on cult-favorite models like the AJ4 was what opened Pandora’s box.

Thus when his string of AJ1 projects began, his hallmark reverse Swoosh became emblematic of his audacity and creativity, perfectly complementing his at-the-time unorthodox earthy palettes. Since then, the Astroworld rapper has enjoyed astronomical success.

Travis Scott x Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG “Dark Mocha”

Additionally, Travis Scott’s partnership with Nike is a prime example of the hype machine in action. As Alec Leach aptly describes in his book, The World is on Fire But We’re Still Buying Shoes, hype thrives when demand vastly outpaces supply. In this carefully orchestrated scenario, brands like Nike employ artificial scarcity to inflate demand and drive exorbitant prices.

With their immense resources, they are fully capable of meeting demand, yet choose to limit quantities to an extreme degree. This manipulation of scarcity thus fuels the fire of desire, transforming ordinary sneakers into objects of envy and obsession.

Consider the case of the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low “Mocha”. Only 60,000 pairs to the ratio of 6 million entries on the SNKRS app, highlighting the immense disparity between supply and demand. That equates to a chance of acquiring the shoes that is even lower than gaining admission to Harvard University.

The entire formula of Travis Scott x Nike collaborations is built on this foundation of scarcity. While his success in the sneaker market is unprecedented, it’s crucial to remember that this formula is not entirely new. Other brands, albeit not to the same extent, have utilized similar tactics to generate hype and inflate prices.

Travis Scott and Ye (FKA Kanye West)

Lessons From the YEEZY Playbook

For those who have closely followed the rise of Travis Scott, one thing becomes clear: his success owes a significant debt to the blueprint laid out by his mentor, FKA Kanye West.

Before Travis Scott, Ye was at the vanguard of artist collaborations, proving that musicians could transcend their medium and leave an indelible mark on the fashion industry.

Although his initial foray into footwear design wasn’t with Nike, but with Louis Vuitton (excluding his prior artist-exclusive Reebok S.Carter and Bapesta), it’s the Louis Vuitton Don’s partnership with the Swoosh in 2009 that became the major catalyst.

The Nike Air Yeezy’s arrival signaled a new era in artist collaborations, showcasing the immense potential of artists to not only influence fashion trends but also to become active participants in the industry’s evolution.

Ye’s ‘Grammy Worn’ Nike Air Yeezy Sample

With the success of the Air Yeezy, Kanye West opened doors for other artists, paving the way for their ventures into the world of fashion. Before a master, a good student. Travis Scott not only took a page from his mentor, he took the whole playbook.

Like Ye, he cultivated a dedicated community of passionate fans, an impervious cult following, that not even the Astroworld Festival disaster could disband. This fanatically devoted community marching behind the Cactus Jack flag.

While Travis Scott may not have invented the artist-brand collaboration model, he undoubtedly mastered it.

Michael Jordan wearing Travis Scott‘s AJ1

The Jumpman Air Walked So Cactus Jack Could Fly

As previously mentioned, the Jordan line’s immense popularity led to its official establishment as a Nike sub-brand in 1997, coinciding with the apex of Michael Jordan’s prowess. This move solidified Jordan Brand as a distinct entity with its own identity and direction.

Looking at the impressive trajectory of the Cactus Jack imprint, it’s not a surprising eventuality it would follow a similar path in establishing its division within Nike.

Jordan Brand’s journey exemplifies how an individual’s brand can flourish and evolve beyond its initial conception. It demonstrates the potential for sub-brands to operate independently while still utilizing the resources and support of their parent companies.

Similar to how Jordan Brand carved out its own space within the broader Nike umbrella, with its own unique brand identity and aesthetic, Cactus Jack may do the same.

Even with the plethora of retro silhouettes in their arsenal, Jordan Brand’s catalog evolved to include originals like the Jordan Spiz’ike, 6 Rings, and Legacy 312. Essentially, that’s what the Jordan Jumpman Jack will be for Travis Scott.

Nike Air Jordan Spizike “White Cement”; Nike Air Jordan 6 Rings “Concord”; Nike Air Jordan Legacy 312 Low “Chicago”

So, Will the Jordan Jumpman Jack Be the End of the Travis Scott Hype?

The upcoming Jordan Jumpman Jack marks a pivotal moment for Travis Scott’s relationship with Nike. This isn’t just another addition to their collaborative portfolio; it’s the evolution of their partnership, a full-fledged line, mirroring the success of Jordan Brand within Nike.

This ambitious venture is purported to extend beyond footwear. The inclusion of a dedicated apparel line will signify the establishment of the Cactus Jack brand as a distinct entity within the Jumpman universe.

Even before being subsumed, the brand already had an established design language and loyal following, which would inevitably bring a much-needed injection of energy and rejuvenate Jordan Brand’s catalog.

Nevertheless, concerns regarding oversaturation are inevitable, especially with Air Jordan retro silhouettes facing the same predicament. However, the ongoing popularity of adidas YEEZY footwear demonstrates that saturation, or an influx of new colorways and models, doesn’t always guarantee a downfall.

Upcoming colorways of the Jordan Jumpman Jack

The first colorways of the Jumpman Jack strategically tap into the nostalgia and success of iconic Travis Scott x Nike AJ1s like “Mocha”, “Reverse Mocha”, and “Black Phantom”. This deliberate design choice leverages existing hype and excitement, in hopes of providing a strong launch for the new line.

While it may work, it needs to carve its unique path in the competitive landscape and establish a distinct identity beyond being a derivative of existing models.

It can’t rest solely on its pedigree, past laurels, Michael Jordan’s legacy, and the narratives imbued into each shoe. These elements have undoubtedly contributed to Jordan Brand’s immense success, but as discerned from the status quo, relying on them carries the risk of stagnation.

Ultimately, oversaturation may dampen the Travis Scott hype. Regardless, one thing is clear: the cultural impact of both Scott and Jordan Brand will continue to resonate for years to come. Clearly, with retros having been released ad nauseam. As Alec Leach said, “The world is on fire but we’re still buying shoes.”

Image Source: HYPE Magazine; Sotheby’s; Complex

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