Peter Moore, the American who designed the iconic Air Jordan sneakers, is a legendary figure in global design.

Peter Moore made footwear an art form.

Moore's art inspired a pop-culture phenomenon, paired with a young sports star whose ascendancy defied gravity.

Moore designed the original Air Jordan sneakers.

In 1984, Michael Jordan, a rookie basketball star for the Chicago Bulls, first wore the shoes. Before the end of the NBA season in the spring of 1985, they were made available to the public.

The sneaker biz has never been the same.

Sneaker expert and writer Brendan Dunne, co-host of "The Complex Sneakers Podcast," stated that the Air Jordan revolutionized the industry by making sneakers highly sought-after items in pop culture.

The Air Jordan established a standard for footwear obsession in America.

With his powerful imagery, Moore revolutionized not only the sneaker industry but also global consumer culture.

"The first Air Jordan set the standard for footwear obsession in America." — Brendan Dunne, sneaker podcaster

He’s best known for his role with Nike.

At the start of his NBA career in 1984, Moore collaborated with company executives to secure Jordan as a client. Later, he collaborated with the rising superstar to design Air Jordan sneakers.

For more than a quarter of a century, Moore held various executive positions at Adidas, where he spent the majority of his career.

In 1988, Moore designed the Nike Jumpman logo, now synonymous with Jordan Brands, and the Adidas three-stripe mountain logo, which made its debut in 1991.

Although Tinker Hatfield designed most Air Jordans after Moore's original, Moore's were the first, and his legacy has continued to grow since his death.

In April 2023, a pair of Air Jordan 13 sneakers, worn by Jordan in the 1998 NBA championships, was sold at Sotheby's for $2.2 million, breaking the record for the most expensive footwear in history.

A new Hollywood production is focusing on the iconic creation of Air Jordan sneakers and the story behind it.

In April 2023, the movie "Air" will be released, featuring Ben Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, Matt Damon as legendary Nike dealmaker Sonny Vaccaro, and Matthew Maher as Moore.

The sports-marketing deal that revolutionized the world's consumer behavior is depicted in a dramatic narrative.

Son of a sailor

Raymond and Mary (Jameson) Moore welcomed Peter Colin Moore into the world on February 21, 1944, in Cleveland.

Peter Moore's family relocated to California when he was a young boy, as his father was a Navy officer with a career.

He was raised in Chula Vista, near San Diego.

As a young artist, Moore seemed to have difficulty finding his path in life. Despite studying art and architecture at three different colleges, he eventually graduated from Chouinard Art Institute in 1968.

In 1970, Peter Moore founded his own graphic design company, briefly worked as creative director for Georgia-Pacific from 1972 to 1973, and then returned to his own pursuits before landing Nike as a client in 1977.

In 1983, Nike hired him as its first creative director, coinciding with the rise of Michael Jordan as a basketball legend at the University of North Carolina. Notably, Jordan scored the game-winning shot at the age of 19 in the 1982 NCAA championship game.

Dunne, a sneaker expert and podcaster, wrote for Complex.com that corporate environments were not a natural habitat for Moore.

"Moore is a private, philosophical man who can summon dry humor when needed. He is calm by default but can become animated during battles in the sneaker industry."

The son of a U.S. Navy officer, who is usually quiet, had an impressive collection of curses that could embarrass even the most seasoned sailor, according to Dunne.

"The idea was to break the color barrier in footwear." — Peter Moore

During Jordan's rookie season with the Chicago Bulls, Moore was a crucial member of the team that applied a full-court press on him.

The athlete-brand partnership for the sneaker deal did not meet the high expectations we have come to associate with such collaborations.

In 1984, Nike was still a relatively young company, with the modern sneaker having been invented just 20 years prior by University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman.

In 1964, he established Blue Ribbon Sports along with Phil Knight, which would later become known as Nike.

According to the 1999 David Halberstam book, "Playing for Keeps: Michael Jordan and the World He Made," Moore was reportedly impressed by the young basketball player in early meetings, describing him as "tall, handsome, innately graceful," and a "kind of young American prince."

Nike convinced Jordan to sign with them due to the young company's persuasive pitch, promise of millions, and the unique idea of a custom-made shoe designed specifically for him.

According to multiple sources, the initial deal was for five years and valued at $2.5 million, including royalties.

At the time, the numbers were groundbreaking and three times more money was spent on any previous sneaker deal, according to industry sources.

The Nike-Jordan deal has been the subject of controversy for decades, with debates over who should receive credit for the deal.

In a 2015 interview with USA Today, Knight referred to Moore and former Nike marketing executive Rob Strasser (who has since passed away) as "the MVPs in the deal."

Breaking the color barrier in footwear

Moore and Jordan soon went to work on the signature sneaker.

According to numerous accounts of the birth of Air Jordan, Jordan desired a low-to-the-ground shoe to feel the floor.

The sneakers had a unique feature: a compressed air pocket in the sole that cushioned impact and made them lighter and airier.

The lightweight sole of the shoe made even ordinary schoolyard players feel as if they could fly like Michael Jordan.

The original Air Jordan was notable for its eye-catching colors, including red leather bands around the ankle and toe, black laces and black Nike swoosh, all set against a white backdrop.

"In his 1995 book, "Peter Moore: A Portfolio," Moore stated that the goal was to shatter the color boundary in footwear."

Before that, shoes were mostly white or black, so I decided to create a shoe that would showcase colors well. The colors I chose were red, black, and white, which are the colors of the Chicago Bulls.

"Nike had expected to sell only 100,000 pairs of the $65 shoes in the first year. Instead, it shipped 1.5 million in the first six weeks." — The Ringer

The league tried to prohibit the use of the sneakers due to non-compliance with uniform guidelines.

According to FootLocker.com's extensive Air Jordan history, Jordan wore them regardless and was fined $5,000 per game as a consequence.

"Nike seized a distinctive marketing chance and paid the penalty. Meanwhile, MJ earned Rookie of the Year accolades."

The game-day fines proved one of the great investments of all time.

"According to The Ringer, Nike had anticipated selling only 100,000 pairs of the $65 shoes in the first year. However, it ended up shipping 1.5 million pairs in the first six weeks."

Sports Illustrated reported last year that Nike aimed to make $3 million with the first Air Jordans. However, the shoe exceeded expectations, generating $126 million in sales in just one year.

Unlike other Air Jordans, the original one was unique because it featured the signature Nike swoosh.

In 1988, the Air Jordan III sneaker, designed by Hatfield, featured the now-recognizable Jumpman logo, created by Moore.

As Jordan's dominance on the court increased, so did the value of his Air Jordans.

He is widely regarded as the greatest player in basketball history, having ended his career by leading the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships.

Moore gave global dream shape, form and color

Peter Moore died on April 29, 2022.

He was 78 years old.

Michael Jordan and Nike became titans of the global sports world due to his innovative sneaker design.

In 2023, Nike, the world's largest sneaker company, generated a staggering $50.6 billion in revenue.

Moore’s creation is so iconic it spawned a new Hollywood version of the events that brought a sneaker to life.

By leveraging his initial royalties and subsequent agreements, Jordan became the first billionaire athlete globally.

He's now worth $1.7 billion, according to various sports-industry estimates.

In 1997, Nike launched its Jordan Brand as a result of the popularity of Air Jordan sneakers.

In 2022, the Jordan Brand generated $5.1 billion in revenue, with Jordan receiving 5% of that, or $256 million, according to Front Office Sports.

During his entire NBA playing career, he earned $90 million, according to the source.

The iconic creation of Moore inspired a new Hollywood film about the events that brought a sneaker to life.

The Air Jordan story has been brought to theaters worldwide with the Affleck-Damon tandem starring.

In its review of the new movie, RogerEbert.com states that Nike captured Jordan's essence by designing a shoe that was not only made for him but also reflected his personality.

"His upcoming persona was portrayed in a way that made us believe we could achieve similar heights."

Moore gave those dreams of new heights shape, form and color.

Rich Efrus, spokesman for Adidas, where Moore spent most of his career, told Planet Chronicle Digital that Peter was a true legend and icon in our industry.

After Moore's death last year, sentiments expressed in a company statement were echoed by him.

"He is greatly missed and his legacy will live on forever."

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