Nike hasn’t made this Jordan 4. They should. And you already want them. Purple has always hit different in sneaker culture — from the Space Jam colourway that defined a generation to the Court Purple Air Jordan 1s that still turn heads on resale markets today. Dark, moody, and unapologetically bold, purple is a colourway language sneakerheads speak fluently. So when a concept drops that speaks it this well, it stings a little that it isn’t real.
The Air Jordan 4 “Purple Night” Concept Explained
There are a lot of gorgeous custom sneakers out there. From concepts that defy reality to concepts based on characters and concepts inspired by artwork, if you can think of an idea, there will likely be a concept sneaker out there. That being said, sometimes the best concepts are simple ones that Nike still needs to consider. That is precisely the case for the Air Jordan 4 “Purple Night” sneakers.
This gorgeous pair of sneakers employs a black, royal purple, and chrome colourway. Each colour gorgeously interchanges to bring a cohesive colourway to life.
Design Breakdown: What Makes This Colourway Work
Starting from the bottom, the sneakers employ black for the entire sole unit. Some sneakers switch things out when it comes to the outsole and midsole, but with this pair, the designer chose to keep it simple, having it all be the same colour. This is only one instance of the elegance of this design.
Moving northward from there, the upper takes a similar approach to what the outsole has achieved, with the textile components of the upper being all one colour. Here, purple takes front and centre, seemingly created from a velvety smooth nubuck. The shade and plush look are extended through the inner lining.
Purple extends onto the mesh, netting-like overlays that make up the cutouts on the quarter and near the toe, backdropped by black to tie the look back in with the outsole. Black also returns for the laces, the tongue label, and the heel tab on the back of the sneakers.
Lastly, for a pop of light and reflectiveness on an otherwise very dark pair of sneakers, the hardware and lacewing support that the Air Jordan 4s are known for, take on a gorgeous chrome hue.
How It Compares to Real Jordan 4 Colourways
If this dropped as an official Nike release, it would sit comfortably alongside some of the most coveted Jordan 4s ever made. Think the blacked-out menace of the Bred or the dark elegance of the Midnight Navy — this “Purple Night” follows that same philosophy: let one rich colour do all the talking. The closest real-world comparison might be the Court Purple colourways that Jordan Brand has leaned on across the Jordan 1 line. The difference here is that nubuck texture and the chrome hardware, which elevate the concept beyond a simple recolour into something that feels genuinely considered.
Why Nike Should Make This Immediately
The sneakers are gorgeous, and if Nike were to make this colourway, we know we would be first in line to get a pair.
This gorgeous custom colourway was created by the famous sneaker news brand Kicks on Fire. It can be found on their Instagram profile, @kicksonfire. This is one of many concepts that they have designed, so consider taking a look through them and finding your favourite.
The Verdict: Would You Cop?
As mentioned above, many outlandish custom concepts are out there, many of which are impractical but gorgeous. The gorgeousness of these sneakers really stems from their simplicity, ingeniously coming up with a novel concept and design that sneakerheads will want to see while also being a pair that would be wearable.
Purple and dark sneakers are always a winner in our books, and bringing these sneakers to life in a way that looks interesting but as a pair that is still wearable is a feat that deserves some praise.
What do you think of the Air Jordan 4 “Purple Night”? Would you cop if Nike made them official? Tell us below.
