Release Date: May 20, 2006
It can be silly to opine right here concerning the mastery of this colorway, the considerate execution and deep storytelling that enrich the shoe. Clever colour decisions and good references can elevate a sneaker, sure, however that’s not the purpose right here. The “Black Cat” Air Jordan 4 is nice as a result of it’s easy; it doesn’t want any of that. It’s a plain, considerably boring, extraordinarily arduous shoe. It’s the most effective Air Jordan designs achieved in a simple mixture that may learn refined, menacing, and even elegant.
While the shoe appears apparent as we speak, doing an Air Jordan in all black wasn’t fairly so normal when this sneaker debuted. The first model of the nubuck “Black Cat” Air Jordan 4 launched in 2006, when Jordan Brand was nonetheless studying how far it may push the boundaries of what have been then generally often called “retro plus” colorways. There have been some misses in that period. Here, as a substitute of imagining the Jordan 4 in blazing, vibrant shades, Jordan did the alternative, switching the lights off and letting the silhouette shine in the dead of night. The “Black Cat” Air Jordan 4 has solely been again as soon as since then, on the better-shaped 2020 retro. Despite being pegged to some particular years, although, the sneaker manages to really feel timeless in its austerity. —Brendan Dunne
