After 9 Years, Air Jordan 1 Royal Finally Returns to OG Leather
The Air Jordan 1 High OG "Royal" returns October 10, 2026 for $185, reverting to the smooth leather construction of the original 1985 pair — replacing the suede build used on 2023's "Royal Reimagined."
2023's "Royal Reimagined" swapped the smooth leather for suede and reworked the construction — and for die-hard collectors, that wasn't the answer they were looking for. Three years later, Jordan Brand is responding in the most direct way possible: bringing the leather back.
The Air Jordan 1 High OG "Royal" (style code: IQ5495-005) drops October 10, 2026 via Nike.com and select retailers for $185. This marks the first time the Royal colorway has returned in its OG leather construction since 2017 — with a suede reinterpretation and nine years standing in between.
The Royal blue-and-black colorway was part of the original 1985 Air Jordan 1 lineup, released alongside the "Bred" black-and-red pair that famously drew $5,000-per-game fines for violating NBA uniform rules — both carrying that same rebellious edge. This return sees black smooth leather wrap the upper and side panels, while Game Royal leather covers the perforated toe box, heel, ankle panel, and Swoosh, delivering the deep jewel-tone blue that's kept this colorway relevant for four decades. The black mesh tongue is stamped with Nike Air branding, finished with the Wings logo at the ankle, black laces, a white midsole, and black outsole — a build that matches what Peter Moore originally designed.
Worth noting: this release uses the standard High OG last rather than the '85 construction. Reports suggest Jordan Brand plans to scale back Air Jordan 1 High production going forward — if true, this could be one of the last widely available OG Jordan 1s collectors can easily get their hands on for a while.
Full family sizing drops alongside it: GS for $140, PS for $85, TD for $70, plus a Crib Bootie version for $55.
