Michael Jordan’s Air Jordan 17 Returns in Black Patent Leather for the First Time, Releasing August 8

The reissue puts a glossy spin on the sneaker’s original 2002 blacked-out colorway, part of a broader push to revive Jordan Brand’s most overlooked models.

NEED TO KNOW

• The Air Jordan 17 Retro Low SP “Black Patent” releases in Europe on August 8 for $245 under style code IV7640-001.
• The sneaker reworks the model’s original 2002 black leather colorway using a patent finish instead of standard leather.
• It’s part of a wider Jordan Brand push toward post-Air Jordan 13 silhouettes, including an upcoming holiday “Black Pack” collection.

Jordan Brand is reviving one of its most underappreciated silhouettes, and this time, it’s doing it in glossy black patent leather.

The Air Jordan 17 Retro Low SP “Black Patent” is set to hit European shelves on August 8, retailing for $245 under style code IV7640-001. A broader global release is expected to follow, though an exact date hasn’t been confirmed.

For decades, the brand’s earliest sneakers Air Jordans 1 through 14 have dominated retro releases and reissues, largely because of their connection to Michael Jordan’s playing years and their outsized cultural footprint. Models released after that stretch, including the 15, 16, and 17, have historically gotten far less attention on the retro market, despite carrying some of the same design DNA that made the earlier shoes iconic.

That appears to be shifting. This Black Patent colorway marks the first time the Air Jordan 17 has returned in this specific black-on-black scheme since its original debut in 2002, when the shoe launched in a smooth black leather build with chrome detailing. The new version keeps that same blacked-out color blocking and metallic hardware, but swaps the leather upper for a sleeker patent material throughout with one notable exception. The tongue area ditches the croc-embossed patent finish seen on the 2002 original in favor of a perforated leather texture instead.

The reissue isn’t an isolated release. A related Air Jordan 17 Low is expected to appear later this year as part of Jordan Brand’s holiday “Black Pack,” a multi-model collection that will also include the Air Jordan 14 Low, Air Jordan 15, and Air Jordan 16. Each sneaker in that pack is being upgraded with premium materials, and the Air Jordan 17 Low’s version reportedly features a stingray leather build a notable step up from standard synthetic or leather uppers typically used on retro releases.

Beyond the Black Patent drop and the Black Pack, Jordan Brand has more planned for the model. The Air Jordan 17 is expected to make its first-ever return in its original College Blue colorway around NBA All-Star Weekend in February, giving sneaker collectors another entry point into a silhouette that’s largely sat on the sidelines of the retro rotation.

The 17 isn’t the only under-the-radar model getting fresh attention this year. The Air Jordan 16 is also set for a release this month through a collaboration with Ghanaian brand Free the Youth, adding to a growing list of post-13 silhouettes getting reissued or reworked in 2026.

Taken together, the moves suggest Jordan Brand is deliberately widening its retro strategy beyond the handful of models that have long dominated resale and retail attention. For collectors who’ve spent years watching the same five or six silhouettes get recycled, the renewed focus on shoes like the 15, 16, and 17 signals there may be plenty of runway left in Jordan’s back catalog and more surprises likely on the way before the year is out.