Its Gotta Be The Shoes
1986 - Spike Lee releases his first film She’s Gotta Have It and the world is introduced to Mars Blackmon. Nola Darling’s, bike riding, triple question asking, Jordan wearing love interest played by Lee himself.
The saying you never know who’s watching rang true when Jim Riswold of ad agency Wieden + Kennedy came calling. As creative director, Riswold is responsible for building Nike’s imprint on the culture. Lee caught his attention after seeing the trailer and full film. What really caught his eye? The fact that Mars wouldn’t take off his Jordans when it was time to get busy with Nola.
Hiring Spike to direct and costar in Jordan ads through the 80s and 90s cemented Nike and the Jordan brand as pillars in streetwear and fashion. It also gave the public a look at Jordan the person, the commercials were funny and lighthearted. We even saw Jordan dressed as Mars. Mars is us…he loves the shoes as much as he loves the man in them. “It’s gotta be the shoes.” He’s the ultimate fan, the original sneakerhead, and Jordan’s personal hypeman. We see ourselves in little Mars with the big personality. Nike would bring Mars back for Jordan’s stint in baseball and his final retirement. I can’t imagine any other way to give Jordan his last goodbyes.
Spike Lee’s love for Jordans didn’t just stop with commercials. Jordans are their own character in a few of Lee’s films. Perhaps the most memorable is from my favorite move, 1989’s Do the Right Thing. My heart dropped when Buggin Out got his brand new Cement 4s stepped on in front of a Brooklyn brownstone by a bike toting Celtics fan. In 2017, the Jordan brand paid homage to this iconic moment by creating a replica of Buggin Out’s scuffed 4s... complete with the scrubbing toothbrush he used. Complex moderated a discussion at Lee’s Brooklyn headquarters, 40 Acres and a Mule where the shoe was given to influencers as part of a pack that included the 4s, Jordan Fly ‘89 trainer, and a Jason Markk cleaning kit.
In 1997 the first color way of the 13s dropped. They would eventually be known as the He Got Games after Spikes 1998 film. When shopping for kicks after he’s released from prison, what does Jake Shuttlesworth buy? A pair of Jordan 13s.
Fast forward to today, Spike gave the 2019 version of Mars Blackmon a crazy Jordan collection when Netflix picked up She’s Gotta Have it as a series. And no, he still doesn’t take his Js off.
Spike and Nike continue a their relationship even today, with Lee directing many of their current campaigns. The love for the brand and the shoe was extended back to Spike when the Jordan brand released the Air Jordan Spizike in 2006.
You might say it was a purists nightmare. The shoe was a hybrid of the 3 sole and elephant print, the wings lace loops of the 4s, netting and profile of the 5s, the tongue of the 6s and wrapping it all up - the laser etching of the 20th Jordan on the sock liner. Sounds like a lot right? It was. There were definitely mixed reviews when it first dropped. But as the shoe gained momentum it released in over 25 colorways.
I said all of this to say….
Thank You Spike Lee for making Jordan a part of the culture in a way only you can.
Even after all these years….It’s gotta be the shoes.
