At Highsnobiety, we're believers in rocking your sneakers over stocking them. After all, what's the point in snatching those grails off the shelves if no one's ever going to see them in action? Well, with Nike SB tapping into the Air Jordan line-up via a "Pine Green" 4, let's remember the old saying: "shred 'em, don't stock 'em."
When the idea of a Nike SB x Air Jordan 4 crossover sneaker was first floated online, fans bit the bait, ready to risk it all for a chance to snag a pair.
Initially, it was assumed that the coming together of basketball and skateboard cultures would take the world-famous Air Jordan 4 "Bred" as foundation, given the importance of the colorway within the silhouette's history.
While a Nike SB "Bred" 4 would certainly be something to write home about (anything for those OG colorways), what was revealed is just as desirable as it is unexpected.
Dubbed "Pine Green," the Nike SB AJ4 is an original palette, following the color blocking of styles like "Military Blue" and "Military Black," fixing a white leather base with a grey suede toecap, "Pine Green" details, a gum outsole, and, of course, Nike SB branding at the heel.
Inspired by the cultural connections between basketball and skateboarding, as well as the connection between designer Tinker Hatfield and the late Sandy Bodecker in creating the original Air Jordan 4, this specially crafted sneaker is built for tricks on a board or on the court.
Per James Arizumi, Global Senior Design Director, Jordan Brand Special Projects, “The Nike SB x Air Jordan 4 is a way for two communities of sport to pay respect to one another and represents the collision of basketball, skate culture, and style that brings them both together.
"Skate and basketball may have lived in two parallel universes when the AJ4 first came on the scene, but the spirit of rebellion and style that MJ brought to the game is inherent to the DNA of skateboarding.”
These nuances are reflected in the Nike SB x Air Jordan 4's construction, as the shape of the upper was re-designed to make it look even closer to the original 1989 AJ4, with an improved fit, and elevated, thicker materials.
As Arizumi puts it, this follows the values "that inspired skaters to take what may not have been built for them, and make it better."
Harckoning back to some of Nike SB's greatest sneaker releases, the Nike SB x Air Jordan 4 "Pine Green" will be available at select skate shops on March 17, with a further release on SNKRS and select global retailers on March 21.
