Air Jordan 5 fans are in for a treat for the sneaker’s 35th anniversary with the rumored return of the original “Black/Metallic” colorway already circulating and news of another 1990 style emerging last week.
According to Internet leaks including one from credible insider @zsneakerheadz, the Air Jordan 5 “Grape” will return with true-to-form details during Summer 2025. Early information states next year’s retro will be refined to closely match the shape of the original 1990 version. The attention to detail will reportedly even extend to the packaging, which will look like the Air Jordan 5 shoeboxes of the ‘90s.
Known for its smooth white leather upper and accents of “New Grape” purple and “Emerald” green, this Air Jordan 5 is unique in that it wasn’t actually worn by Michael Jordan on the NBA court. In fact, aside from a Fall 1990 Nike photoshoot (which was also used on a Wheaties cereal box), there aren’t many documented instances of Jordan wearing the style at all.
Instead of basketball, the “Grape” Air Jordan 5’s most memorable ‘90s moment came from pop culture thanks to Will Smith’s “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” character. Smith would often wear the model without shoelaces, and years later, Jordan Brand would pay homage to his look with the release of a laceless “Grape” Air Jordan 5.
Previous retros of the Air Jordan 5 “Grape” include its first rerelease in 2006, a second in 2013, and the aforementioned Fresh Prince-inspired iteration in 2018. The 2006 and 2013 versions used Jumpman branding, while 2018’s laceless model featured the Nike Air logo of the original. Next year’s release is expected to include Nike Air, making it the very first time it’s been included on a standard retro of the “Grape” style.
As of now, an exact release date for the upcoming Air Jordan 5 “Grape” retro has not been announced, but it’s expected to launch during Summer 2025 for a retail price of $220.
