After the one and two, the Prince of Reggaeton himself is dropping his new collaboration on the Air Jordan 3. Since 2020, J Balvin has put out some of the boldest Jordan collabs on the sneaker scene, drawing inspiration from a range of colours and sounds, and Latin American culture. To celebrate his upcoming third entry, we thought we’d go over J Balvin’s previous Air Jordan collabs, and what he has in store for the Air Jordan 3.
Air Jordan 1 High ‘Colores y Vibras’
J Balvin’s Air Jordan 1 High is certainly an entrance, arguably still his most colourful design. The jagged canvas upper is covered in bright, psychedelic tye-die hues, giving the shoe a distinct acid house flair. This pair can also be decorated with swappable velcro patches. One of these patches is Balvin’s signature electric smiley face, an emblem seen on all of his Jordan releases so far. This sneaker also set an important milestone. Named ‘Colores y Vibras’, this Jordan 1 marked the first-ever collaboration between Jordan Brand and a Latin artist.
Air Jordan 2 ‘Celestine Blue’
Coming in a soft blue colourway, Balvin’s Air Jordan 2s are a much calmer outing. A serene, cloudy blue sky motif covers the heel and inner lining, with a translucent blue outsole underneath. This collab was a key figure in the massive push for the Jordan 2 we’ve seen in the 2020s.
Air Jordan 3 ‘Medellín Sunset’
Here we are now, with Balvin’s upcoming Air Jordan 3, named ‘Medellín Sunset’ after his Colombian hometown. The upper comes in premium cream leather, with a softer muted take on the elephant print panels. Sunny yellow accents appear throughout, but the sunset inspiration is clearest on the smiley faced TPU heel, which comes in orange and purple hues.
Air Jordan 3 ‘Rio’
Unlike his collabs on the AJ1 and AJ2, Balvin’s AJ3 is getting a second colourway. Rumoured to be releasing in the summer of 2024, this pair is after Balvin’s son Rio. Taking the opposite approach to the Medellín Sunset, the leather upper comes in jet black with grey elephant print overlays. This dark colourway helps the summery orange hits on the heel and sole stand out even more.
The Air Jordan x J Balvin 3 ‘Medellín Sunset‘ is set to drop on the 23rd of September. If you miss out on retail, be sure to grab a pair for resale on KLEKT.
