This Unreleased Air Jordan Is One of Nike’s Most Ambitious Sneaker Designs Ever
I still remember the first time I laid eyes on a pair of Air Jordans. I was 12, standing outside Foot Locker with my face pressed against the glass like some cartoon character. My allowance money burned a hole in my pocket, but not nearly enough for those beauties on display. Fast forward to today (yep, somehow I’ve been writing about sneakers for over a decade now), and I still get that same childlike excitement when something truly innovative hits my radar.
And folks, the Air Jordan 3 RTNA concept has me feeling all kinds of ways.
Let’s talk about these wild kicks that have the sneakerhead community buzzing like a beehive that’s been poked with a stick. The RTNA (which I initially misread as “RETINA” and honestly, that would make sense given how eye-popping these are) first popped up in 2021, but new images have recently surfaced that have me questioning everything I thought I knew about sneaker design.
So what makes these so special? Well, for starters, they’re not actually available for purchase. Nope, not even if you’ve got a secret sneaker plug or your cousin’s roommate “knows a guy.” These are straight-up concept samples that Nike created to push the boundaries of what’s possible. Think of them as the concept cars of the sneaker world – amazing to look at, probably impractical for everyday use, but man do they get you dreaming.
The RTNA takes Tinker Hatfield’s legendary Air Jordan 3 silhouette – you know, the ones with the elephant print that changed the game back in ’88 – and basically says, “What if this shoe came from the future?” The result is what Nike calls a “future of color” aesthetic, which is fancy talk for “we made these look like they’re from the year 3000.”
I had the chance to see some high-res photos of these yesterday while I was supposed to be grocery shopping (sorry, honey, I got distracted again), and I nearly dropped my phone in the cereal aisle. The upper features these wild translucent panels that catch light in a way that reminds me of when my kid spilled glitter on my laptop – chaotic but somehow beautiful. There’s this gradient color effect that shifts depending on your viewing angle, kind of like those holographic baseball cards we all collected in the 90s.
The traditional elephant print is still there, but it’s been reimagined with this futuristic vibe that makes it look like the elephants might be cybernetic or something. I’m not explaining it well because, honestly, these shoes defy easy description – which is probably exactly what Nike was going for.
What strikes me most about the RTNA is how Nike managed to create something that feels completely new while still honoring the DNA of the original AJ3. It’s like seeing an old friend who’s had some kind of sci-fi makeover. You recognize them, but they’re also completely transformed.
I’ve been covering sneaker releases for years now, and trust me when I say most “innovations” are just marketing hype wrapped around minor tweaks. But occasionally, something comes along that genuinely pushes the envelope. The last time I felt this way was probably when Nike unveiled their self-lacing technology, which still feels like magic to me even though I understand the mechanics.
Will we ever see the RTNA hit retail shelves? I doubt it. At least not in this exact form. But that’s kind of the point of concept designs – they’re meant to influence and inspire future releases rather than become products themselves.
What’s most exciting is what this might mean for the future of the Jordan brand. If they’re willing to experiment this boldly with one of their most sacred silhouettes, what else might be cooking in those Nike design labs? I’ve heard rumors about sustainable materials and even more advanced cushioning systems, but who knows what’s really coming down the pipeline.
For now, I’ll just have to content myself with staring at these photos while my coffee gets cold (again). My sneaker collection already has my wife questioning my adult decision-making abilities – “Another pair of Jordans? Don’t you already have ones that look exactly like these?” – but if the RTNA ever did miraculously drop, I’d be remortgaging the house faster than you can say “Take my money.”
Until then, I’ll keep my eyes peeled for whatever Nike dreams up next. Because if the RTNA is any indication, the future of sneakers is looking brighter – and weirder – than ever.
