My pair just came in and I'm genuinely excited about this one. The Jordan 5 Retro Off-White Muslin originally dropped in June 2020 and I've been wanting a pair ever since. Finally pulled the trigger on resale. Feels like the right time too, with the Virgil Abloh Archive x Air Jordan 1 High "Alaska" just getting a re-release this month — Virgil's work is having a moment again and I'm here for it.
For context on why this colorway specifically: it's an everyday wear shoe. You can beat these up, wear them into the ground, and they're still going to look great with age. A dark grey like this hides wear way better than a white/sail colorway — it's the kind of shoe that actually gets better the more lived-in it looks.
First impressions out of the box
Out of the box the colorway hits different in person. Dark grey, almost anthracite, with black laces and those translucent mesh panels — it looks better in person than in any photo I've seen of it. The zip tie and the woven ankle strap are still great details. Not a gimmick, they just work.
The Jordan 5 silhouette is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. The shark-tooth midsole, the ladder lace hardware, the visible Air unit — it's one of the better base shoes in the Jordan lineup and Virgil's treatment complements it rather than fighting it.
The big question: does it hold in 2026?
That's what this whole review is really about. It's been 6 years since this dropped. The hype has settled, we've lost Virgil, and the sneaker landscape has completely shifted. Does this shoe still feel relevant?
Initial answer: yes. The dark grey colorway is actually the reason. A lot of the louder Off-White collabs feel dated now — too much going on, too tied to that specific moment. The Muslin doesn't have that problem. It's versatile in a way I didn't fully appreciate when it first came out.
But I want to actually wear these before I give a final verdict. I'll be back with a follow-up after I've had them on my feet for a while — how they wear day to day, whether that grey holds up, and whether the whole thing still feels worth it at resale prices in 2026.
More soon.
Does It Hold is a series revisiting hyped sneakers years after the drop. First impressions now, real impressions after wear.