Air Jordan 4 History - The Art of Doing Better Than Great!

When you achieve greatness, the thirst for more grows. While some will take that as greed, it definitely wasn’t for Michael Jordan and Tinker Hatfield. If that ambition was a bad thing, we wouldn’t have gotten the Air Jordan 4! You see, the Jordan 3 certainly killed it when it first dropped, so it was a challenge to top that off. But well, Jordan Brand said ‘hold my basketball’ and gave us one of the most popular silhouettes to this day! So, let’s check out what the fourth silhouette brought to the table.

Air Jordan 4 – Achieving Greatness Starts with a Shoe?

In 1989, Jordan Brand had a challenge ahead of it. 1988’s Air Jordan 3 may have saved the brand, but now they had big shoes to fill. And who’s better to handle a sneaker challenge than the legendary designer Tinker Hatfield? So, once again, Hatfield put his thinking cap on and took on the task of designing the Air Jordan 4. Now, design-wise, the silhouette kept the basic blueprint of its predecessor. You know, the mid-cut height and the visible Air unit. And that was a smart decision, because why fix what isn’t broken?

However, that is where the similarities end because Hatfield made some drastic but welcome upgrades. You see, he extended the Air unit to the forefoot for extra cushioning. Moreover, the kicks featured over-moulded polyurethane mesh panels on the tongue and sides for extra breathability. But the most important bit is definitely the plastic wing eyelets that give you plenty of options to get creative with your lacing. So all in all, it was a great silhouette to look at and wear.

The Jordan 4 Becomes a Pop Culture Icon

If the Jordan 3 made history with its commercials, the Jordan 4 became a star in its own right. You see, when Michael Jordan hits the hardwood floor in kicks, they’re bound to become a sensation. And when he created unforgettable moments, people would also remember the kicks he had on. In the case of the Air Jordan 4, it was ‘The Shot’. When Michael Jordan landed the buzzer-beater that eliminated the Cavaliers in 1989’s playoffs, he had the Black Cement 4s on!

And if that’s not enough sneaker exposure, Spike Lee added his magic touch in the smoothest way possible. You see, Lee’s Mars Blackmon and MJ made waves with the Air Jordan 3 ads! But in 1989, Spike Lee featured the brand new Air Jordan 4 in his movie Do The Right Thing. The scene was all about the character’s squeaky clean AJ4s that got done f****d up! So, to sum it up, the fourth silhouette was pretty impactful on the pop culture scene. And well, it’s kinda obvious since everyone still loves these babies!

Air Jordan 4 OG Colorways

We all know that there’s nothing that compares to OG colorways when it comes to classic silhouettes. And the Air Jordan 4 is no different! So, in 1989, Jordan Brand gave us not one, not two, but four colorways to kick off the silhouette. Each of these colorways became a legend in its own right today. So, check them out below if you’re not already familiar with them!

Our Favorite Jordan 4s

It’s not real talk if we don’t get close and personal when it comes to sneaker colorways. So, here are our personal favorite Air Jordan 4 renditions… We will totally die on that hill for them, no joke. From KAWS and Virgil’s touch to denim uppers, this is the list of our dreams honestly. Now, they’re all grail-level kicks that need deep pockets. So, why not set your eyes on upcoming Jordan 4s and how you can score them for retail?