The History and Legacy of the Air Jordan 4 'Military Blue'

One of the biggest drops from 2024 line-up is finally here: the Air Jordan 4 ‘Military Blue’. As the continues to gain more and more traction – at this point rivalling the popularity of the – it’s only right that the Jumpman bring back an OG colourway in ‘Military Blue’ for the sneaker’s 35th anniversary.

Things have changed a lot in sneakers and sneaker culture since the AJ4 ‘Military Blue’ originally dropped in 1989. As the only colourway of the Air Jordan 4 that didn’t match the red and black of the Chicago Bulls, the ‘Military Blue’ 4s hid in plain sight as the other Chicago-themed colourways got the spotlight. MJ was rocking the other three colourways on court, most famously donning the ‘Black Cements’ as he glided laterally across the free throw line to hit ‘The Shot’, while the

No Retro Love For You

Retros are dominant in the sneaker market today, but using nostalgia to sell sneakers wasn’t a thing until 1994. Nike retroed the , , and for the first time, commemorating MJ’s career as he surprised the sports world and announced his retirement from professional basketball after winning three straight NBA championships.

While the price of OG Air Jordan colourways are always significantly higher than retail now, these respective Air Jordans sat on shelves and eventually hit the clearance racks. Nike could have kept the rest of the Air Jordan collection in the vault, but the Jumpman’s second attempt at reintroducing Air Jordans changed the sneaker landscape forever.

Fast forward to 1999: the Jumpman brought back the Air Jordan 4 for the first time, in OG and new colourways. The AJ4 returned in the ‘Black Cement’ and ‘White Cement’ colourways, bringing in new takes on the sneaker with the ‘Oreo’ and ‘Columbia’ colourways respectively. Once again, the 'Military Blue' 4s weren’t shown any love from the brand.

Nike Hear the People Sing

As the World Wide Web allowed sneaker collecting and culture to grow, sneaker message boards like Nike Talk and ISS became places where your voice could be heard within the heated sneakers discussions they hosted. Nike Talk was known to have petition threads, begging brands to bring certain sneakers and colourways back. Whether it was due to nostalgia or just wanting some dope sneakers, the 'Military Blue' 4s had their own thread that stretched dozens of pages, where fans typed up their hopes that Jordan Brand would hear them out.

Finally, in 2006, their prayers were answered: news broke of the Air Jordan 4 ‘Military Blue’ returning for the first time. While the majority of sneakerheads rejoiced, a small vocal minority weren’t too thrilled due to some changes made to the sneaker. The biggest issue was the Jumpman branding on the heel tab, replacing the traditional Nike Air seen on the OG. But that didn’t stop the masses – the sneaker dropped in September 2006, selling out nationwide and becoming a staple for myriad sneakerheads and their rotations.

Unhappy 'Heads

The demand for retroes continued to increase, which in turn expedited the timeline of particular sneakers' returns. In 2012, the Air Jordan 4 ‘Military Blue’ reared its head in the retro pool once more... but this time they fell flat, and for a variety of reasons.

Again, complaints about the lack of Nike Air branding were made plain, while others detested the shape of the new AJ4, which looked long and banana-like compared to the original. Piling on, the bright blue accenting on the 2012 version was a major departure from the more muted hue 'Military Blue', making the new sneaker look drastically different compared to the original.

All Outta Style

With style always changing and evolving, 2012 saw sleeker silhouettes start to pop. Styles like the Nike Roshe and Nike Flyknit Trainer were more en vogue than the clunkier Air Jordan 4, which – as a result – fell out of many people’s sneaker rotations.

Yeezy Puts the Boot In

As the June 9, 2012 release approached, another Chicagoan took the sneaker spotlight, as Ye’s dropped on the same day. The ‘Platinum’ and ‘Solar Red’ Yeezy 2s immediately took all momentum and shine away from the AJ4 ‘Military Blue’ – and to make matters worse, Ye opted to rub salt on the wound with his iconic bar in Pusha T-assisted track New God Flow, rapping: ‘Hold up, I ain’t trying to stunt, man/ but the Yeezys jumped over the Jumpman’.

The 'Military Blue' Makes its Move

It’s the perfect time for the Air Jordan 4 ‘Military Blue’ to make its retro return to the rotations of sneakerheads of all generations – new and old. Jordan Brand have previously stated they've modified the Air Jordan 4, starting with the Nike SB x AJ4 colab in 2023, and following up with the AJ4 'Bred Reimagined' in February 2024.

Gone is the banana shape, and we're told a new last was used to bring the AJ4 more in line with the 1989 original. Are the Jordan 4 'Military Blues' true to size? You can bet your bottom dollar that they are. Finally, the Jumpman has been replaced with that oh-so-important Nike Air logo placed on the heel tab, a first since the OG. Appeasing the most fickle sneakerheads and bringing a new generation on board, Jordan Brand have finally done the Air Jordan 4 'Military Blue' proud.