Fire Red—the Hottest Hue in Air Jordan History

You don’t reinvent the wheel when you’re flying a fighter jet. Such was the case for Nike and the Air Jordan line. Only three shoes in, it was clear that their main man Michael Jordan was different than his peers and his predecessors, possessing a flair, edge and athleticism never before seen in a single player.

In effect, Jordan’s game was more vivid and vicious than anything the basketball world had ever known and his shoes needed to reflect that. Signature branding, unorthodox inspiration and top-notch tech all spoke to his uniqueness, but how would Nike wow consumers once fans became accustomed to the unbelievable?

After daring the league's dress code on the Air Jordan 1 only to go conservative and classy on the Air Jordan 2, playing it safe was all the way out on the Air Jordan 3, 4 and 5. As Michael Jordan was breaking records in basketball, Nike was intent on leveraging Pantone from every angle.

Introducing 'Fire Red,' the heated hue would rewrite the rules on matching and show opponents Mike wanted all the smoke. The Air Jordan 3 and 4 would each end their runs in a blaze of glory by enlisting the smoldering shade, while the Air Jordan 5 would open and close its campaign in the famous colorway.