Former Air Jordan designer Tinker Hatfield had moved on by the time of the Jordan XVI. The Air Jordan XVI was designed by Hatfield replacement, Nike Senior Footwear Designer, Wilson Smith. With a little fresh blood in the design process, the Jordan XVI was perhaps the first truly fresh design since the Jordan III, despite the fact that Smith decided to recycle a few of the design elements of earlier releases, such as the clear soles and patent leather. What made the Jordan XVI new was a removable gaiter/shroud, giving the shoe two looks for the price of one. Not only a stylish addition, this feature helped to control temperature and comfort for the wearer. Like all new things, this design had a few bugs to be worked out. The overall feel of the shoe was a little stiff and the shroud easily came off during very active wear and the patent leather didn’t wear as well as other materials. Even with these problems, the overall concept and design of the Air Jordan XVI was excellent and Wilson Smith certainly lived up to the example of his predecessor.

(All material cited is from Sneakerhead.com or Solepedia.com Respectively)

Click Image to Enlarge