retro jordans Air Jordan XVI

Following the success of the XV's there was no doubt that Nike/JB would continue to release Air Jordan's,therfore XVI's hit the shelves in 2001.
The XVI's were designed by Nike's Senior Footwear Designer Wilson Smith. This meaning it was the first design since the III's that Tinker Hatfield wasn't behind. Hatfield was said to have moved up and he left Smith with the hard task of creating a revolutionary new design. Smith decided to bring in a few design elements/fabrics from earlier releases. For instance they saw the return of the clear rubber sole (V, VI,retro jordans, XI) and also featured patent leather (XI).
What made the XVI's unique was the brand new gaiter/shroud that covered the shoe and could be removed to give the shoe a brand new look. Not only was this for fashion purposes, it also had a thermal functionality.
Collectors classify the Air Jordan line by release year and model: Originals (OG),cheap jordans, Retros (shoes that have been recreated for sale to the general public), Retro-pluses (Retro +, Air Jordans that are similar to the Original product, with more up-to-date changes), Player Exclusive (PE,air jordan shoes, Air Jordans that are exclusive to certain athletes in the realm of sports) and Samples. The Jordan Brand also produces a line of Team shoes, separate from the signature line of Air.