Sneaker culture is weird. We obsess over bits of leather and rubber like they’re holy relics. If you walk into any flight club or scroll through a secondary market app, one specific color palette stands out: the air jordan 1 blue and black. It isn't just one shoe. It’s a lineage. From the 1985 "Royal" to the modern-day "Dark Marina Blue," this combination has a psychological grip on collectors that defies logic.
Why? Because it’s safe but rebellious.
Red and black—the "Bred" look—is aggressive. It’s the Chicago Bulls. It’s the colorway that allegedly got Michael Jordan fined $5,000 per game (though sneaker historians like Ari Saal Forman have pointed out it was likely the Air Ship, not the Jordan 1, that the NBA actually banned). But blue? Blue is cooler. It’s versatile. You can wear an air jordan 1 blue and black with a suit or beat-up jeans, and it just works. It’s the "Royal" blue that Peter Moore, the shoe's designer, helped cement as a pillar of the brand’s identity.
The Royal Blueprint and Where It All Started
In 1985, Nike released the "Royal" Jordan 1. It was one of the original colorways. Unlike the "Chicago" or "Black Toe," Michael Jordan never actually wore the Royals in an NBA game. He did, however, wear them in a famous 1985 promotional photo shoot on a flight deck. That single image, with MJ mid-flight against a sunset, did more for the air jordan 1 blue and black legacy than a triple-double ever could.
It created a mystique.
The colorway felt more "street" than "court." Fans weren't just buying a piece of basketball history; they were buying a lifestyle piece. When the Royals finally retroed in 2001, the hype was manageable. Fast forward to 2013 and 2017, and the mania was palpable. People were camping out. Prices on sites like StockX and GOAT skyrocketed.
Then came the Fragment Design collaboration in 2014. Hiroshi Fujiwara took the classic air jordan 1 blue and black template, shifted the color blocking slightly (adding more white to the heel), and stamped a tiny lightning bolt logo on it. Suddenly, a blue shoe was worth $3,000. It proved that the color blue wasn't just a secondary option—it was the apex of the market.
Variations of the Blue and Black Theme
Not all blues are created equal. This is where most people get tripped up. You’ve got "Royal," "University Blue," "Hyper Royal," and "Dark Marina." Each one hits different.
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The Dark Marina Blue, released in early 2022, is a great example of the brand’s strategy. It flipped the script. While the OG Royal has a black toe and blue heel/swoosh, the Marina used a blue mudguard. It’s subtle. It’s the kind of thing only a "sneakerhead" notices, but it changes the entire silhouette of the shoe.
Then there’s the Game Royal. Released in 2018, this one leaned heavily into the "Chicago" style color blocking but swapped the red for blue. It’s a louder shoe. It feels more like a team uniform than a nighttime sneaker.
Honestly, the nuance matters because of the materials. The 2017 Royal Retro used a tumbled leather that purists actually complained about. They wanted that smooth, almost plastic-like finish of the 1985 original. It’s these tiny details—the grain of the leather, the shade of the nylon tongue, the thickness of the "Wings" logo—that determine if a shoe sits on a shelf or sells out in four seconds.
The Fragment x Travis Scott Factor
We have to talk about Travis Scott. In 2021, the Houston rapper teamed up with Fragment Design to release a three-way collaboration on the air jordan 1 blue and black palette. It featured a reversed swoosh and a cream-colored midsole that looked "aged."
This release broke the internet.
It also solidified the "Military Blue" and "Royal" shades as the gold standard for high-end collaborations. By mixing the blue and black with sail (off-white) tones, Nike tapped into the "vintage" trend that has dominated the 2020s. It wasn't just a new shoe; it was an attempt to make a brand-new shoe look like it had been sitting in a dusty attic since the Reagan administration.
Why the Resale Market Won't Let Go
Check the data. Blue Jordan 1s consistently hold their value better than almost any other non-red colorway. According to market analysts at platforms like Sole Retriever, the "sell-through" rate for air jordan 1 blue and black sneakers remains high even during market downturns.
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It’s because they’re easy to style.
Black is the base. Blue is the pop. It’s a color theory win. If you own a pair of 2017 Royals, you’re looking at a shoe that has appreciated significantly despite being worn by thousands. Even "mids"—the shorter, often mocked version of the Jordan 1—sell out instantly if they feature this color combo.
There’s also the "un-DSing" factor. To "un-DS" a shoe means to wear it for the first time. Because blue hides creases better than white or light grey, people are more willing to actually put these on their feet. This leads to a lower supply of "Deadstock" (brand new) pairs over time, which naturally drives the price up for collectors.
Spotting Fakes in the Blue and Black Ecosystem
With high demand comes high deception. The air jordan 1 blue and black is one of the most counterfeited shoes in existence. If you're buying a pair of 2017 Royals today, you need to look at three things immediately:
- The Hourglass Shape: Look at the shoe from the back. It should swell at the top, pinch at the middle, and swell again at the bottom. Fakes are often "boxy" or straight up and down.
- The Swoosh Point: On authentic pairs, the tip of the swoosh points directly at the top lace hole. It shouldn't be too low or too curved.
- The Wings Logo: The "R" and the "D" in "Jordan" should touch at the bottom. If there’s a gap, you’re looking at a replica.
Professional authenticators also check the "corner stitch" flaw. This is where the stitching makes a 90-degree turn right above the swoosh. On many older fakes, the stitching would hit the swoosh itself. On modern retails, there’s usually a small gap of a few millimeters.
Actionable Advice for Your Next Purchase
If you're looking to add an air jordan 1 blue and black to your rotation, don't just chase the 1985 OGs unless you have a five-figure budget.
Go for the 2022 Dark Marina Blue if you want a high-quality leather build that you can actually wear without feeling guilty. They are currently trading near retail prices on several platforms, making them the "budget" entry point into this specific color legacy.
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Avoid the 2017 Royals unless you can verify the source. The market is flooded with "UA" (unauthorized authentic) pairs that are nearly indistinguishable from the real thing to the untrained eye.
Watch the "reimagined" series. Rumors in the industry suggest Nike is looking to bring back more original colorways with updated materials or aged aesthetics. Keeping an eye on the SNKRS app's "Shock Drops" is your best bet to snag a pair at the $180 retail price point rather than paying $400+ later.
Lastly, care for your blues. Blue dye, especially on suede or nubuck versions like the "University Blue," is notorious for bleeding if it gets wet. Use a silica-based protector spray immediately. If you're rocking the leather versions, a simple damp cloth is usually enough, but stay away from harsh chemicals that can strip the "Royal" pigment.
Sneaker collecting is a marathon, not a sprint. The air jordan 1 blue and black is a foundational piece. Whether it’s the Royal, the Marina, or a Fragment collab, these shoes represent a specific intersection of sports history and modern fashion that isn't going away anytime soon.
Buy what you like, but understand the history behind the lace-up. That’s the difference between a collector and someone just following a trend.
Next Steps for Collectors:
- Audit your current rotation: See if you lack a primary blue colorway; it's often the missing link for versatile styling.
- Check the SKU: Always verify the Style Code (e.g., 555088-007 for the 2017 Royal) against official Nike databases before buying from a third party.
- Monitor the secondary market trends: Use tools like the StockX price history graph to buy during the "dip"—usually 2–3 months after a major release.
- Prioritize storage: Keep your blue and black pairs out of direct sunlight to prevent the "yellowing" of the midsole, which happens faster than most people realize.