Release Recap: Air Jordan 1 High OG "Lost & Found"

First rumoured all the way back in March 2022, the Air Jordan 1 High OG “Lost & Found” has arguably been one of the most important sneaker releases in the last year. Acting as the first OG Chicago release since 2015, many footwear fans had been waiting for years to cop this original AJ1 colourway. The pair eventually hit stores in the UK on the 19th November and has since been incredibly well-received by sneakerheads up and down the country. Already being heralded as sneaker of the year by many, the kicks are without a doubt a serious success story for both Nike and Jordan Brand.

Here at The Sole Supplier we’re about to take a retrospective look back at the hottest release of 2022, and dissect exactly why it sent sneakerheads into a frenzy. Join us as we present our first-ever release recap, and make sure to stay locked in right here for all you need to know regarding all that’s going on in the sneaker industry right now.

If you’re new to the footwear scene then you might not realise the importance behind the “Lost & Found” release. While all AJ1 High releases will garner a significant amount of hype (especially those that offer OG colour blocking), the L&F goes that extra mile by acting as a faithful recreation of the original 1985 “Chicago” colourway. The pair is actually the most accurate version of the ‘85s yet, with details such as the original Nike Air logo and toe box perforation second to none. Designed to look like a 1985 pair that’s sat in the box for 37 years, the kicks also boast pre-aged features like cracked leather, a yellowed midsole and even a tatty box.

Coming complete with original box papers and a faux cash receipt, this release is, and was, in all intents and purposes - a collectors dream. It’s the attention to detail and limited edition features that sneaker collectors long for, and with plenty to go round here it was clear that Jordan Brand had put in the hard graft. Let’s not forget just how clean the “Chicago” colourway still is, meaning that these also appeal to casual footwear enjoyers, as well as hardcore Michael Jordan fans.

With the Lost & Found first surfacing back in March, an initial hype regarding the return of the Chicago colourway began. The kicks were originally set to be titled the “Chicago Reimagined”, with early news stories published online in March gaining close to 5,000 page views. Throughout the next five months rumours continued to circulate, although images were still yet to surface and no further details emerged. Numbers remained around the 5,000 mark for these months, with slight variations month on month.

By September, further images of the sneakers had began to circulate, with the hype flooding the market and Chicago-fever fully setting in. Views shot up to 9,000 throughout the month, showcasing a 78% increase on August, and an 86% increase from the initial March statistic. This was however nothing compared to November (launch month), when pageviews rose to an astonishing 62,000, a 307% rise from October and a 1169% rise from the initial figure.

As we edged closer to the release date, the hype surrounding the AJ1 “Lost & Found” continued to grow to unprecedented levels, with impressions via Google skyrocketing to 461,000 in November, with consumers searching for over 1300 different keyword variants. If we look at the search term “Jordan 1 Chicago”, it saw a 900% increase in the three months leading up to the launch of the L&F. As the 19th of November drew closer, UK retailers began to tease the pair via social media channels, with many announcing raffles up to a week before the launch date.

Of course, Nike launched the pair via its specific launch platform, Nike SNKRS. FCFS (first-come-first-serve) drops are usually few and far between for a release of this calibre, although in this case we did see one or two online drops happen, with users reporting an inability to actually checkout pairs that were added to cart. For the most part, the launch of the AJ1 L&F was entirely a raffle release.

In the weeks leading up to the launch date, rumours started circulating that stock numbers for this AJ1 release were set to be the highest the industry had seen in years. While this seems like a rumour that circulates every time an important release happens, it seemed like this time around it was really true - everybody wanted a pair of Chicagos and Nike was about to start handing them out. Looking back at this retrospectively, the rumours were most certainly true, with the UK and EU market reportedly receiving 50,000 pairs split between retailers (one UK retailer is even rumoured to have received 3,000 pairs alone).

If we take a quick look at the two most popular resale platforms (StockX and eBay), it’s also apparent that a high number of pairs have been resold in the time between the release date and the publishing of this article. StockX reports that over 36,000 pairs have been sold, while eBay shows around 5,000 pairs have since changed hands via the platform. For the most part, these numbers are well above what we’d usually see for a limited-edition sneaker release.

Sneaker of the year is a topic that comes to light amongst sneakerheads every festive season, with footwear fans exchanging opinions (and often disagreeing) regarding the strongest release of the year. While it’s a valid debate that creates thought-provoking conversations, it’s also important to remember that it’s a very opinion-based question, with any nominations purely based on personal preference. One thing is for certain though, and that’s the fact that the Air Jordan 1 High OG “Lost & Found” is likely to make an appearance on plenty of “SOTY” lists this year, as it’s left a lasting impact on plenty of us, in an industry that’s known for moving fast.

If you liked this release recap then keep your eyes peeled for more, and while you’re with us be sure to browse the rest of our site for all the latest happenings in the sneaker and streetwear world, as well as release dates for all upcoming sneaker releases in the UK!