The History of the Heel: The Air Jordan 4 'Bred' Over the Years
As we gear up for the return of an icon – the – there’s no better time to take a look back at one of the legendary silhouette’s ever-changing features: the heel logo.
Debuting in 1989, the was introduced following Michael Jordan’s first MVP award, and brought forward a progressive aesthetic and fresh high-performance design elements to the market, most notably Air cushioning in the sole.
However, with the AJ4 ‘Bred’ comeback scheduled for May 4, it appears most of the talk has centred around the re-emergence of the fan-favourite ‘Nike Air’ embellishment on the heel.
1989
Kicking off its journey on the waffle-tipped backtab was the classic ‘Nike Air’ branding, which nodded to the visible Air cushioning in the heel. Just like the Air Jordan 3, the tongue opted for the Jumpman logo — a mainstay among Jordan Brand releases ever since.
1999
Reissued in 1999 to celebrate the Air Jordan 4’s 10th anniversary, this iteration stayed true to Tinker Hatfield’s OG vision with the logos and branding remaining the same.
2008/2012
In 2008, the Jumpman logo would don the backtab for the first time as part of the ‘Countdown Pack’ series. Four years later, to celebrate the shoe’s 23rd anniversary, the MJ insignia returned to decorate the most recent rendition of the sneaker.
The fresh look ushered in a new legion of avid sneakerheads, but to many OG aficionados, things just didn’t feel quite right.