Matt Varga As those who checked into our coverage (or any site in the known footwear universe, really) last week know, a ton of brands telegraphed their punches for Complex’s 2025 convention. Before the doors swung open, we well understood that PUMA, adidas, Vans, Nike, Jordan, and a host of additional imprints had some serious heat in store. However, some saved their energy for the actual show itself.
Consignment store and overall rare-sneaker connoisseurs RIF LA absolutely fit the bill, both hosting an episode of Sneaker Shopping in their booth and revealing a never-before-seen Air Jordan 3 “El Vuelo” sample in the process. The central design cue from the publicly released 2025 pair remains — that being the scaled wings on the sidewalls that further extend their materiality onto the heel counter, toe guard, and collar.
Obviously, this unreleased version heads into far stealthier territory than its nationally colored counterpart — perhaps one of a few reasons this was eventually held back from hitting shelves. Perhaps this was a “weartest” sample aimed at seeing how these design changes actually held up in practice, but if its silver/black arrangement was indeed in pre-production at some point, you can easily see its proximity to the Air Jordan 3 “Black Cat” forcing Beaverton designers to reconsider.
Regardless of what the story behind this shoe is, it’s plenty intriguing to take in from afar. Catch shots via Complex included below — keep our Jordan Release Dates page within reach for updates on pairs you’ll actually be able to pick up.
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- Air Jordan 3 “El Vuelo” Sample Complex / RIF LA
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- Air Jordan 3 “El Vuelo” Sample Complex / RIF LA
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- Air Jordan 3 “El Vuelo” Sample Complex / RIF LA
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- Air Jordan 3 “El Vuelo” Sample Complex / RIF LA
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