Jordan 4 RM x Nigel Sylvester

Progressive BMX athlete Nigel Sylvester has been performing his distinctive riding style for over 20 years now. It wasn’t until halfway through this stunning career that he began working with Nike, but in the time since, the two have made history by producing BMX collaborations involving some of the brand’s most iconic silhouettes, such as the Dunk, Air Jordan 1 and Air Force 1. In 2024, after a decade of cooperation, this influential partnership broke new ground once more with the Air Jordan 4 RM; the first low-profile edition of the classic Tinker Hatfield model. Two colourways were produced, both of which were inspired by the place where Sylvester learned to ride – his grandma’s driveway. To tell the story surrounding these shoes, Sylvester wrote the script for a short video in which his grandmother explains the hard work and determination he had to put in to succeed as a BMX rider. Jordan Brand went all out on commemorative details, both on the shoe itself, with elements like the Bike Air text on the heel, and on the packaging, which depicts Sylvester as a four-year-old child sitting on the tricycle that sparked his love of riding on the very driveway where he developed his skills all those years ago.

The dusky outer of this Jordan 4 RM x Nigel Sylvester collaborative sneaker makes for a charismatic design. With an upper formed using high-quality suede and decorated in the sleek shade of Anthracite, it has a powerful look that is offset by a few vivid University Red highlights. These include the surface of the insole, which exhibits Air Jordan text on the right foot and Nigel Sylvester on the left, and the embroidered swoosh on the lateral forefoot. Several other unique branding effects that pay homage to both brand and BMX star have been used across this stylish sneaker, as there is Bike Air By Jordan lettering on the tongue and a Bike Air logo standing out in white on the heel. Beside this, a subtle Jumpman has been embossed into the TPU cage, which itself wraps along the shoe’s flanks to provide structural integrity, just like the bike frame design that it is based on. Even more subtle, though, is the bicycle graphic embossed onto the rear of the heel tab. On top of this host of honorary features, the shoe comes with a set of stickers that includes various Jordan and Nike logos, the “Go” symbol from Sylvester’s successful series of lifestyle videos, and the image of a BMX wheel containing the words “Jordan Biking Company 2017”. Underfoot, black and white tones create stunning contrasts with each other as well as with the University Red Nike branding in the centre of the outsole. Lastly, the familiar Air window appears in the white part of the midsole to ensure that this dapper Jordan 4 RM is as comfortable as it is visually appealing.