In its nearly 40-year history, Nike, Inc., and Michael Jordan’s Jordan Brand has amassed countless iconic colorways. The most well-known are undisputedly the “Bred” (short for “black and red”) and the various Chicago Bulls-themed white, red and black styles. The next tier of colors would include frequently revisited looks such as “University Blue,” “Grape,” “Aqua” and of course, “Black Cat.”
The “Black Cat” concept will be highlighted again in the near future on the upcoming Air Jordan 4 RM. Although Jordan Brand has yet to announce the specs of the Air Jordan 4 RM, many of the changes are apparent.
Using the original Air Jordan 4 design from 1989 as its base, the new model has been completely revamped on the upper. No longer a mid-top leather-based sneaker, the Air Jordan 4 RM uses a considerably lower cut and changes up the materials without abandoning many of the Jordan 4’s signature features. There’s still supportive TPU wings that integrate with the shoelaces, but on the Air Jordan 4 RM, they wrap around the entire shoe.
On the “Black Cat” Air Jordan 4 RM, the top portion of the upper is constructed with a ballistic nylon which is reminiscent of the mesh netting on the original shoe. Elsewhere, the shoe uses a black material that appears to be nubuck leather. The all-black design is offset by white Jumpman and Nike Air branding on the tongue and heel, respectively.
Jordan Brand’s “Black Cat” concept was introduced in 2006 on the Air Jordan 4. The brand had released all-black sneakers before, but it didn’t add the nickname until the ’06 release; the black pair was launched alongside an all-white “Pure Money” iteration. Named after one of Michael Jordan’s nicknames from his days on the court, the “Black Cat” moniker has also inspired other designs including Tinker Hatfield’s Air Jordan 13, which featured a holograph detail inspired by a panther’s eye. Later, the “Black Cat” concept would be applied to more models including the Air Jordan 3, but the original Jordan 4 has gone on to become the most coveted amongst collectors. Re-released in 2020 (pictured above), pairs of the most recent retro sell for an average of nearly $1,000.
With the Air Jordan 4 RM set to debut this month through a collaboration with BMX pro Nigel Sylvester, it looks as though the model will receive a heavy push from the brand in the coming months. Several other upcoming Air Jordan 4 RM colorways have recently surfaced online, but the “Black Cat” pair may prove to be the most sought after when all is said and done. A release date for the “Black Cat” style, which will release in full-family sizing, has not been announced, but Sylvester’s “Bike Air” version will be released July 20.
