Over the weekend Cleveland went crazy as the best of the best battled it out at NBA All Star weekend. Amongst unforgettable moments like Karl-Anthony Towns’ record-breaking 3-point contest run, Fat Joe was spotted wearing the ultra rare Air Jordan 3 RTNA.
As an OG in the sneaker game, it comes as no surprise that Fat Joe would be caught in sneakers as exclusive as these. This Air Jordan 3 had previously been revealed as a concept sneaker last year and was on display at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art. The design is the result of a two-year partnership between the gallery’s explore team and Zoologist Andrew Parker’s company Lifescaped. Tinker Hatfield was also involved in the creative process and oversaw everything from the design and materials, to building the prototype.
This Air Jordan 3 was made with the future in mind as the outsole is crafted with recycled rubber and plastic, a nod to Nike’s Space Hippie series. As you take a closer look at the details, you’ll notice that the heel tabs and signature elephant print are finished with a metallic sheen. This sneaker was designed to bring to life the high-impact hues that you see in nature, which is captured by the iridescent glow that has a rainbow gradient effect. This is made possible by RTNA coating, which uses Lifescaped’s Pure Structural Color technique. This technology is based on a natural process that is found on everything from grasses to marine worms. The thin transparent silicon dioxide coating makes microscopic structures, which Parker compares to tiny prisms or holograms. This treatment is so advanced, that it actually uses no pigment or dye at all. A report from Wired further explains the technology saying, “These [microscopic structures] can be designed and sculpted to selectively reflect only certain wavelengths of light, and thus produce specific colours to the eye of the viewer.”
As insane as the Air Jordan 3 RTNA is, don’t get too excited just yet. This extremely rare sample may never actually come to fruition — at least not anytime soon. If any new information emerges, our Jordan Release Dates calendar will have all the details. For more sneaker news and updates, follow @NiceKicks on Instagram.
Air Jordan 3 RTNA on display at Kew Gardens via WIRED
