Naturally, each gang would wear a pair with its own color—red for the Bloods, blue for the Crips. At its peak in the early 1990s, Air Jordans were more of a social issue than a fashion statement. The brand's exclusive colors, including black, white, and red, as well as variations of those colors, were worn by rappers from both sides of the gang divide.
In fact, according to research conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles, in 2008, there are more people affiliated with gangs who wear Jordan sneakers than any other brand. The reason? They're expensive. A pair of Air Jordans retails for about $200-300. That's why criminals will steal or buy them cheap and then sell them for cash on the street.
The story behind how Michael Jordan came up with the idea for his first signature shoe is also interesting. In 1984, he launched the "Air" series with advertising that showed athletes from different sports wearing an Air Jordan sneaker. This made many people think that they could only be used by one person at a time, but this was not the case at all! He had discovered that by making multiple versions of his shoe, he could extend their life beyond what anyone thought possible at the time. For example, the original Black Jack design has never been discontinued.
The Crips adopted the traditional sneaker in the early 2000s, and Adidas became an abbreviation for "All Day I Disrespect All Slobs" among the gang's members. This association first came to light in 2002 when a group of students at East Los Angeles College began wearing Adidas every day as a protest against violence on campus. The group called themselves the "Adidas Boyz," and some members even wore red sneakers to show their support for the Crips.
There have been other gangs who have used Adidas as a symbol, such as the German Nazis with their black-and-white striped shoes. However, it is the Crips who popularized this connection between their brand and ethnicity.
After the death of Dr. Dre in 2015, his daughter, Syleena Johnson, announced that she had sold her share of the company to private investors. She then went on to form her own brand called "Syleena's" which sells athletic shoes under the Nike umbrella. In 2018, Johnson sued Nike over claims that they had stolen her idea to start her own line of shoes within months of her father's death. The case is still ongoing.
Red shoes represent the liberty of women's aspirations in this context. We equate the color red with passion and blood; it's impetuous, explosive, and daring, so it's no wonder that it appeared prominently on so many autumn runways. The association between red and blood may be why some people think that women who wear red are trying to attract attention or even provoke someone.
Actually, the truth is quite the opposite: Women who wear red are often looking after their hearts, which makes them seem more attractive. Blood is life, and wearing red can be an expression of desire, of love. It also means that these women are not afraid to show others what they feel.
Besides, there is another reason why women wear red: It's hot. Red is one of the hottest colors there is, so if you want to look good and feel comfortable, then you should always wear something under those heels or boots.
Finally, red stands for love and romance, which is why married women tend to wear red more often than other colors. The point is that women should never be afraid to express themselves through their clothes. No matter what color you choose, it should make you feel beautiful and confident.