Believe it or not, Levi’s has been pushing denim-based footwear since the 1970s. Needless to say, the affordability of jeans didn’t translate to sneakers, where consumers were gravitating towards more practical models from Nike and Adidas.
Fast forward to the early ’00s, and denim shoes were now targeted by luxury players like Dior as fashion statements. As sneakerhead culture boomed, Levi’s got back in the game. In 2018, the brand partnered with Nike for the first time, putting denim uppers on Air Jordan 4s that sold out instantly. Subsequent releases included the Air Max 95s we saw last year. But fans have been clamoring for another AJ silhouette. After a long wait and teaser photos months ago, Nike has officially announced several Air Jordan 3 colorways covered in Levi’s denim.
Why the AJ3 Is So Legendary
Tinker Hatfield’s 1988 design essentially saved Michael Jordan’s relationship with Nike, introducing the Jumpman logo and that unmistakable elephant print. The silhouette remains one of the most versatile in the Jordan catalog, balancing style with performance, becoming one of the paradigms of sneakerhead culture.
Four Takes on an Icon
The collection breaks down into four distinct colorways. The Rigid version pairs classic indigo denim with black-on-black elephant print. The Black colorway goes darker with pebbled leather and an embroidered black denim heel tab featuring Nike Air branding. Meanwhile, the LA Exclusive drops for NBA All-Star Weekend with off-white pebbled leather, blue denim accents, and red “City of Angels” stitching.
The Year of the Horse edition, exclusive to parts of Asia for Lunar New Year, swaps materials for unbleached ecru denim and pony hair panels with red chain-stitch embroidery. Ditching elephant print for denim and pony hair might sound sacrilegious to purists, but the material switch actually amplifies the shoe’s workwear ethos in a way the AJ4 collaboration hinted at back in 2018.
Of course, all versions feature Levi’s Red Tab on the lateral heel, co-branded hang tags, and the iconic dollar bill insole.
Beyond the Sneakers
Aside from the shoes, the collection also consists of an apparel lineup headlined by the Pinnacle Varsity Jacket — melton wool body, leather sleeves, and vintage graphics nodding to MJ’s Bulls legacy. There’s also a Type III Trucker in black washed denim, Black Baggy Jeans with extended inseams for proper stacking, and a reimagined “Button Your Fly” tee from Spike Lee’s original campaign.
Spec Sheet
Model: Air Jordan 3 x Levi’s
Uppers: Premium denim panels, pebbled leather, pony hair (Year of the Horse)
Midsole: Visible Air cushioning
Outsole: Rubber
Special Details: Levi’s Red Tab, co-branded hang tags, dollar bill insole
Price: TBA
Release: February 20, 2026 (global), with earlier regional drops
Pricing & Availability
The Year of the Horse drops January 24 in Greater China, followed by Japan and Korea on January 30. Black and Rigid colorways release February 5 in San Francisco for Super Bowl LX, while the LA Exclusive lands February 13. The full collection launches globally February 20 via levi.com, SNKRS, and select retailers, with early access for Levi’s Red Tab members through random draw.
Recap
Nike x Levi’s Air Jordan 3 Collab
After years of denim collabs on various Nike silhouettes, Levi’s is finally bringing its workwear heritage to the Air Jordan 3 with four distinct colorways that swap out Tinker Hatfield’s iconic elephant print for premium denim and pony hair. The February 20 global drop includes everything from a classic indigo version to a Lunar New Year-exclusive “Year of the Horse” edition, plus a full apparel collection headlined by a varsity jacket that nods to MJ’s Bulls legacy.
