The arrival of the Air Jordan 3 in 1988 marked the beginning of the Tinker Hatfield era. Hatfield, a designer for Nike, dropped the “Wings” logo like a bad habit, opting for the new and improved Jumpman. Its upper, a combination of textured tumbled leather and elephant print, is simple in construction, but profound in aesthetic. For that reason, the Air Jordan 3 dropped jaws.

 

The first run of the AJ 3 included four colorways: white and black “Cement” options, Fire Red, and True Blue. With Hip-Hop fully engulfed in its first “Golden Era,” during which it officially became a music genre that permeated global culture, the sneaker was a staple in any purveyor of cool’s uniform. A fact that remains true today. And that’s without mentioning that Michael Jordan wore the AJ 3 during many iconic moments. At the top of the list is the ‘88 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, during which MJ went mano a mano with power dunker Dominique Wilkins. It was on this night that the Jumpman logo was born, as the prodigious Chicago Bull soared from the free throw line, flaring his legs in the process of slamming home the contest-winning dunk in a fresh pair of “Cement” 3s.

 

With time, the introduction of the retro and changes in the Jordan Brand infrastructure has seen the Nike Air branding on the heel be replaced with a Jumpman, only for the Nike Air to return once again (on special releases). There has been also been a heightened focus on lifestyle releases that sees the Air Jordan 3 return in unseen colorways featuring materials like wool and reflective 3M. Stadium Goods provides all of the above in this curated assortment of the third-ever Air Jordan sneaker. If a classic sneaker is what you seek, look no further.