Life of a Logo
Inside the Vault
The 1989 Air Jordan IV was introduced following MJ’s first-career MVP award. Just like the 1988 Air Jordan III, the one-of-a-kind basketball shoe brought a new look to the hardwood with high-performance design elements, Nike Air cushioning and recognizable logos that would help cement the shoe’s rich legacy.
Since the Air Jordan IV’s arrival, the shoe’s logos have evolved to celebrate Air Jordan greatness over the years.
1989
Front and center on the 1989 version’s tongue are the timeless Jumpman logo and all-new Flight script to position it as the centerpiece of Nike’s Flight series basketball footwear. The shoe’s backtab, featured classic Nike Air branding as a nod to its visible Air cushioning in the heel. Just like the Air Jordan III, having the Jumpman immediately visible on the tongue would jumpstart the brand’s iconic branding.
1999
In 1999, the Air Jordan IV would be reissued to celebrate the Tinker Hatfield-designed model’s 10th anniversary. Logos and branding remained the same, with the timeless Jumpman x Flight script on the tongue, along with Nike Air on the heel, outsole and sockliner.
2008
The unmistakable Jumpman logo would go on to take over the Air Jordan IV OG for the first time in 2008. Now seen on the tongue, heel, sockliner and outsole, the Jumpman-branded Air Jordan IV OG released as part of the Countdown Pack series alongside the Air Jordan XIX.
2012
To celebrate the shoe’s 23rd anniversary, the fan favorite was last reissued in 2012. Outfitted in black, red and cement grey, the design once again featured the timeless Jumpman logo in all the right places to celebrate Air Jordan greatness.
Looking back at the shoe's several releases in original and new colorways, the Air Jordan IV took on a look of its own with the widely recognized Jumpman logo. While not the shoe’s original branding, it still helped introduce the shoe to the next generation of Air Jordan fans.
Now in 2019 for its 30th anniversary, the lineage comes full circle with the Air Jordan IV returning in true original form.
