Twenty Years a Unicorn: Undefeated x Air Jordan 4

Every once in a while there comes a pivotal moment in the lineage of humankind – a great and historical feat that shakes the Earth to its core. We’re talking Neil Armstrong’s moonwalk, the Wright Brothers’ first flight, the release of Mr. Brightside… and .

Undefeated’s legendary Air Jordan 4 from 2005 was one-of-a-kind, marking the first time the illustrious had ever collaborated with a boutique. There were only 72 pairs ever created for this highly limited drop, and it sold out faster than you could say ‘hyperstrike’. Over the past 20 years, selected sneakerheads have held the Undefeated x Air Jordan 4 to the highest acclaim as a unicorn grail, and many fanatics have never even seen one IRL, let alone possessed a pair in their collection. That’s mostly thanks to that rival those of a housing deposit – pairs sold at command dollars as if they’d been worn by Van Gogh.

There’s plenty of sneaker lore out there, but there aren’t many models that hold as much cultural cache and as storied a past as the Undefeated x Air Jordan 4. It was rumoured in 2024 that the mythic colab was poised for return, and now the whispers have become reality with Undefeated locked and loaded to release not one, but two versions of their Air Jordan 4.

The conversation of is for another day, because today we look back at the sneaker that stayed a unicorn for 20 years.

The Lore

Undefeated have a long history in the sneaker scene with a collaborative rap sheet that matches their influence. Ever since 2002, they’ve been the sneaker store in the USA to cop and craft highly exclusive collaborations, especially with and Jordan Brand. Undefeated even featured in hit TV show , with characters Turtle and Vinny trying (and failing) to cop the .

Of all Undefeated’s collaborations, the most coveted by far is the Air Jordan 4. Over the past decade, branded linkups from Jordan have become a regular occurrence, but back in 2005, Undefeated were the first boutique to ever achieve the feat (with coming through in the years following). By today’s collaborative sneaker standards, this Air Jordan 4 looks simplistic – but at the time of release, its cultural standing went beyond ‘unparalleled’ to ‘unheard of’.

The OG design chose a militarised inspiration, in particular the classic 1950s MA-1 fighter pilot bomber jacket. The upper was crafted using an olive nubuck, with orange tongue lining, matching Air unit, three sets of laces, white midsole and black outsole. The original pair also came with a custom Undefeated case and limited promo t-shirt. The super-restricted run was distributed through just two, very narrow avenues: an in-store raffle in Los Angeles, and an online auction with only a single pair in each size available.

Twenty Years Later

The recent spate of leaks wasn’t the first time this unicorn has been rumoured for revival. Images of a sample pair of Undefeated x Air Jordan 4s surfaced between 2017 and 2018, with rumours swirling again in 2022.

Word of an Undefeated x Air Jordan 4 retro fired up again in 2024, with initial reports that a colourway composed of ‘Deep Green/Clementine/Black/Sail’ – which matches the OG colour makeup – was on the way. So while a one-to-one retro was expected, Undefeated are in fact dropping two different variations. Both are believed to rock mostly the same construction, but it’s said there will be a Nike Air-heeled version – no doubt to satisfy the Jordan fanatics who crave branding that’s akin to the 1989 originals – and another with a Jumpman on the heel, staying faithful to the 2005 edition which was released during the period when Jordan Brand were heavily retroing their OG catalogue with the alternative heel logo.

The Air Jordan 4 is for August. The Nike Air-heeled pair are set to drop widely, while the Jumpman will experience a limited launch.

A True Unicorn

A proper sneaker unicorn, the 2005 Undefeated AJ4 remains one of the most sought-after and hardest-to-find sneakers on the secondary market. Try , or any other major secondary marketplace and you won’t find a single pair listed. Back in the early 2020s, pristine iterations sold for as much as $18,000, but prices have increased rapidly over the past few years. Back in December of 2023, one pair with the matching case and t-shirt sold for $44,100 through , and last year, the 2018 sample surfaced on the premier auction house’s website and sold for $12,000.

There’s no way the 2025 pair will live up to the legacy that the OG started back in July ‘05… but those individuals who were lucky enough to hold one of the 72 pairs in-hand will know that it’s only a matter of time before they crumble, so securing a new pair might not be something to sniff at. This retro is also a chance for younger sneakerheads who weren’t around for the golden years to get their taste – let’s hope there’s plenty to go around!

Keep it locked here to stay up to date on all the latest Undefeated x Air Jordan 4 news, and head to look back at their collaborative catalogue.