A brand which can’t be defined by just one category, Jordan is an amalgamation of sporting, cultural, and streetwear influence. Amongst the most lauded silhouettes we’ve been graced with by the brand, the Air Jordan 1 has been the basis for a plethora of setups and colourways for decades; there’s a design to suit every taste, from the loud and proud, to the timeless classics and muted everyday picks. With this in mind, we’ve broken down three different ways to lace your Air Jordan 1, so you can make your most prized pair even more personalised to your tastes.

Cross Lacing

Perhaps the most recognisable method for lacing is the humble Cross Lace. Classic in its looks and easy to achieve, we’ve demonstrated this style on the Air Jordan 1 Retro High – well suited to the timeless palette of this OG shoe.

Step 1: Begin with a basic single bar using the bottom eyelets.

Step 2: Next, cross over to the opposite side, moving up by one eyelet and looping it from the outside in.

Step 3: Simply repeat this all the way up to the top of the eyelets, alternating the sides.

Step 4: Mirror this technique on the opposite shoe so everything is symmetrical.

Bar Lacing

Definitely the cleanest looking of the three, Bar Lacing adds a store-fresh look to your Jordans. We’ve demonstrated this one on the Air Jordan 1 Mid – a rendition of the AJ1 which has been receiving a lot of attention as of late.

Step 1: Start with a basic single bar lace going across the bottom eyelets.

Step 2: On one side, move up by one eyelet, lacing from the inside out.

Step 3: One the opposite side, move up by two eyelets, lacing from the inside out.

Step 4: Take the lace from eyelet one and cross to the opposite side, lacing from the outside in to make

the first bar.

Step 5: Take the lace from eyelet two and cross to the opposite side, lacing from the outside in to make the second bar.

Step 6: Repeat this process all the way up, skipping an eyelet each time you cross over to make a bar.

Diamond Lacing

The pristine Air Jordan 1 Low gets the Diamond Lace treatment. Use this style to impress; once you’ve got the hang of it, the result looks far more intricate than the simple method would suggest. Suited to the lower-topped iterations, this technique will elevate your AJ1s with ease.

Step 1: Start with each end of the lace coming out from behind the bottom eyelets.

Step 2: Thread the first lace diagonally to the third eyelet on the opposite side, going from the outside in.

Step 3: Next, thread this through the eyelet below, threading from the inside out.

Step 4: Repeat the previous two steps on the opposite side, crossing diagonally and moving down one eyelet.

Step 5: Continue the cross over diagonally, move down one eyelet pattern, and you’ll end up with a diamond lace.

Check out more lacing content with How To Lace Vans.