To celebrate Michael Jordan’s birthday, we thought it was only right that our latest instalment of size?collections paid tribute to the acclaimed Air Jordan franchise. We caught up with London-based sneakerhead and content creator Heesh, who boasts a collection including 450 pairs – 70 of these are Air Jordan silhouettes. We chatted about his favourite paint-ups, what the shoes represent, and his love of sneaker culture.

One of the most appealing things about sneaker collecting for Heesh is “the chase”. There are so many things that go hand in hand with collecting culture including “what the shoe reminds you of”, “the first come first serve release that you went to”, who you were with when you grabbed that pair and even that “brotherhood/sisterhood” community you become a part of as well as “ a nice way to engage with likeminded people”.

Heesh has been collecting around 10 years and his collection definitely has a rich history with a few stories and memories behind it. Securing the Air Jordan 1 ‘Shattered Backboard’ is a prime example of this. The coveted colourway was inspired by MJ’s backboard-breaking dunk that took place during a Nike exhibition game. After camping out with the masses for over 14 hours outside Nike town, and a hunt online leading to a trip up to Liverpool, he managed to add this sought-after pair to his collection.

His Jordan 1 Retro x Off White ‘Chicago’ pair means a lot to him not just because of what they represent but how I managed to obtain them. A shoe that defined sneaker culture, the deconstruction and reconstruction of this one is imperfectly perfect.

One of Heesh’s favourite picks ups? A silhouette that represents a bygone era – the Air Jordan 1 ‘Lost and Found’ release from 2022. Dubbed the shoes of the year with details like the vintage box, cracked ankle collar, old replica receipt card, and the ‘Chicago’ make-up, this one is definitely a love letter to nostalgia. It comes as no surprise that Heesh looks forward to the day he can get his hands on the OG 1985 pair. Another firm favourite is the Air Jordan 1 ‘UNC’ that he managed to add to his colletion in 2016.

Being a big Air Jordan 4 fan, the A Ma Maniére were a must for Heesh. Dressed in a muted nubuck upper with co-branded hits, the quilted interior really gives a luxury feel which is what we’ve come to expect from an A Ma Maniére x Jordan linkup. Small but top-tier details are what Heesh looks for in a shoe and this pair is packed with them.

Delve into more size?collections on our blog here.