What Should We Expect From the Future of Nike's "Reimagined" Line?
Sneaker-fueled nostalgia is doing its part to keep the industry alive. An incredibly powerful financial driving force, it's led to the re-release and re-re-release of countless sneaker silhouettes, allowing generations of fans to indulge in some of the world's favorite styles. At Nike, this is the foundation of all things Air Jordan "Reimagined."
The rumor mill is, once again, spinning into action. This time around, the streets are speaking of a potential "Reimagined" treatment of the Nike Air Jordan 4 "Bred," but would could follow?
When the Swoosh spun out the first "Reimagined" release last year, it was the Air Jordan 1 "Chicago" undergoing the treatment. Essentially, said reimagining involves taking a beloved, OG version of a flagship silhouette and giving it a vintage reworking – you get a "pre-loved" sneaker without the years of hardship.
It proved extremely popular, thanks in part to the release being the most widely available Jordan drop of all time in terms of quantity of units and, of course, good old nostalgia.
Capitalizing on that popularity, Nike quickly got to work on the second release under the banner, turning its attention to the Air Jordan 3 "Cement."
There was enormous hype in the lead-up to the drop, and although it was marred with countless quality control issues, it remained a favorite amongst fans.
Now, as per rumors online, the iconic Air Jordan 4 "Bred" is next in line – maybe "Military Blue" is close behind?
A silhouette close to my heart as my favorite sneaker of all time alongside "Neon" 95s and "Hyper Blue Tns, having owned four or five pairs over the years, I, for one, can't wait to secure a pair if this turns out to be true.
Clearly, Nike is utilizing the line to revisit the fan-favorite colorways amongst the flagship silhouettes of the Air Jordan family, with the three previously mentioned pairs being three of the most iconic of all time.
Although the Air Jordan 2 did make a recent comeback in its original colorway, it's been skipped out on for a "Reimagined" finish, suggesting the Swoosh has its sights set on a certain level of popularity.
In that case, it's fair to assume that the Air Jordan 5 will follow the 4, in its "Metallic" finish. If it were to follow the lead of current releases, expect the synethic mesh portions and outsole to come pre-yellowed – no ice soles here.
Next, the Air Jordan 6 "Infrared" or "White Infrared." Personally, the latter would be my preference, and it would be nice to break up the block of black that the "Bred," "Metallic," and "Infrared" would create, but most would probably argue that the "Infrared" is the most iconic 6 of all.
Like the 2s, I assume the 7 would be skipped, with the next likely to be the AJ11 in "Bred" or "Concord."
Of course, this all speculation, but if the "Reimagined" line continues to prove as popular as it has been so far, we might want to buckle in for a long ride.
Personally, I'd be keen to see the line extend beyond Air Jordans, specifically, towards the Air Max family – "Neon" 95s, "Infrared" 90s...I mean, we're already on our way with the "Big Bubble" Air Max 1!
