Matt Varga Few who have walked the halls in Beaverton have as much of a collaborative cache as Hiroshi Fujiwara and his Fragment Design. With his Fragment Jordan 1 in 2015 bringing his high-heat Midas touch to a new generation, a runoff effect lingered around for his Jumpman follow-up, the Air Jordan 3 that landed half a decade later. Another five years later, an alternate path for that shoe is coming into clear focus, as in-hand images of a sample Fragment Jordan 3 have just emerged.
Note that while this is our best look yet at the shoe in question, it’s not the first; GOAT’s vaunted Black Friday program had a pair up for grabs in November 2024. The arrangement is easy to digest, flipping the monochromatic layout that hit retail on its head. It utilizes rich, tumbled black leather throughout the upper while opting for shimmering white mudguards enveloping the whole shoe.
Many Fragment calling cards, like the double bolt logo at the heel counter and identical industrial midsole text, further this as an alternative to what the public eventually received. However, arguably, this shoe’s most significant distinguishing factor is how it eschews typical branding, as collector-beloved Nike Air replaces the lightning heel stamp.
Even if these will assuredly remain in the vault, it’s interesting nonetheless to think about what could have been. Catch a look at this piece of sneaker history via the images attached ahead.
For a similarly shaded pair, tap in for our latest on the Air Jordan 3 “Black Cat” and stay tuned via our Jordan Release Dates hub for additional info.
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- Fragment Design x Air Jordan 3 Sample (2020) @fkzsnkrs
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- Fragment Design x Air Jordan 3 Sample (2020) @fkzsnkrs
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- Fragment Design x Air Jordan 3 Sample (2020) @fkzsnkrs
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- Fragment Design x Air Jordan 3 Sample (2020) @fkzsnkrs
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- Fragment Design x Air Jordan 3 Sample (2020) @fkzsnkrs
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- Fragment Design x Air Jordan 3 Sample (2020) @fkzsnkrs
