Jordan 3 Retro

Earthy tones combine with plush materials across this Jordan 3 Retro to create a suave sneaker. The AJ3’s uniquely designed rubber outsole brings together three of these muted colours, beginning with a pale beige on the offbeat grip formations around the forefoot and down the lateral side towards the back of the heel. A rich shade of brown known as Palomino then covers the forefoot pod, with its concentric circle indentations, and the Jordan branding embossed below the heel. A final off-white section surrounds this text and stretches to the medial side of the midfoot. This same creamy tone moves up into the midsole, coating both the textured toe cap, which has a line of stitching encircling it, and the smooth layer that extends around the rest of the shoe. A see-through window has been placed in the heel to show off the pocket of Air held there, while another airbag supports the forefoot and soft foam expands throughout the rest of the midsole to bring comfort to the entire foot. Another thick layer of polyurethane has been stacked on top of this cream-coloured part, its front half decorated in the same tone, and its rear section displaying a Palomino hue.

Meanwhile, the majority of the upper comes in a luxurious Light Orewood Brown suede. This lush material reaches from the toe to the midfoot to the back of the foot, finishing when it meets the off-white heel panel. Embossed ridges line the top of this last feature, aiding the wearer when pulling on the shoe by creating a grippy surface to hold on to, and a Metallic Gold Jumpman rises out of its centre above the word “Air”. Looping around the heel below this branding is one of a series of elephant-print panels. Its colouration switches between Light British Tan and Palomino, the darker areas set back from the lighter ones to give it a captivating aesthetic and a pleasant textural feel.

The same dynamic effect has been spread over the forefoot mudguard and the upper part of the eyestay. Palomino TPU eyelets emerge from this latter panel, three on each side of the tan-coloured tongue, with another pair appearing in the front of the collar. Below this, the Light Orewood Brown segment of the upper forms the bottom of the eyestay, sets of five ringlets acting as the eyelets on each side. Off-white laces thread through these, and the tongue beneath is marked with tiny perforation holes on the lower half and embroidered with a shimmering Metallic Gold Jumpman over the top.

Elsewhere, the main overlay slopes away from the collar to reveal a nubuck section filled with more perforations around the heel’s uppermost edge, before the topline switches to a fuzzy fabric in a smooth brown hue. The same material covers the back of the tongue, which has a white patch sewn into it, while the insole returns to the darker Palomino. Printed upon this comfy insole is a custom emblem that incorporates a Metallic Gold Jumpman surrounded by a ring of white. Within this is black text that reads “Air Jordan Flight Club”, thus completing this stylish Air Jordan 3 with a distinctive design flourish.