Jordan 4 Retro x Paris Saint-Germain

A series of classy tones makes this Jordan 4 Retro x Paris Saint-Germain a compellingly stylish sneaker. This colour scheme, which has earned it the nickname White Bordeaux, begins on the multidirectional herringbone traction patterns found across the outsole, whose mostly black surface is punctuated by rich purple accents. This tone, known as Bordeaux, appears on an oddly shaped area below the forefoot and on the Jumpman silhouette in the centre of a smooth white section in the middle of the outsole. A further white piece caps the toe, here with stars embossed onto it to give an alternative finish to the grippy feature. Meanwhile, the midsole brings together the same trio of tones, firstly via the black part around the toe and lateral flank, then through the white layer around the heel and medial side, and lastly with the band of Bordeaux on top.

The upper then introduces more appealing hues alongside these, starting with the Neutral Grey overlay that wraps the forefoot in smooth leather. Emerging from beneath this and reaching all the way back to the heel is another layer of premium leather, this time in white. Additional white panels reside above this on the quarter and around the collar, both of which are made of leather with a more textured finish. White netting reveals darker material beneath it on the flanks and below the laces that facilitates aeration around the foot for added comfort. Meanwhile, white laces tie together over the white tongue and are held in place by Bordeaux-coloured TPU cages. These have just five eyelets instead of the customary nine of other AJ4s, giving them a more minimalist look. Nevertheless, they provide the same structural support to the top part of the shoe, as do the black triangular wings that adorn the flanks.

The dark inner both pads the ankle and reveals one of the sneaker’s several PSG-inspired details as white text that reads “Ici C’est Paris” has been printed onto the insole. Another of these effects appears more conspicuously on the Bordeaux heel panel in the form of a circular black emblem with a white Jumpman in the centre and Paris Saint-Germain branding around the outside. Meanwhile, its top part has been moulded into a fan-shaped pull tab lined with embossed black bands that make it easy to hold onto when putting the shoe on. More Bordeaux tones can be found on the underside of the tongue, which also hosts an Air Jordan patch, while its frontside has a black Jordan Flight label decorated with a white Jumpman and Bordeaux Flight text. The final hint of this formidable collaboration is provided on a black tag emerging from one of the seams in the lateral forefoot. It contains the word “Paname” – a popular nickname for the French capital – in white lettering that lends the sneaker a concluding touch of elegance.