A Rarely Seen Fragment Design x Air Jordan Sample Surfaced, but Don’t Expect It to Come Out
Japanese designer Hiroshi Fujiwara’s Fragment Design imprint has produced dozens of coveted sneaker collaborations over the years, with even more to come in 2025. While fans await what’s next, images of an unreleased Fragment Design x Air Jordan 3 sample sneaker have surfaced which show what the collaboration could have potentially looked like.
Shared by @fkzsnkrs on Instagram is a Fragment Design x Air Jordan 3 sample with color blocking that’s completely reversed from the retail iteration. The pair uses the same black-and-white combination, but colors the majority of the sneaker in black, leaving only the mudguard, toe tip and heel in the contrasting white shade. Like the retail version, this sample features Fragment Design’s lightning bolt logo debossed on the heel along with the shoe’s style code printed above the visible Air unit. Unlike the retail pair, the sample does not feature a translucent TPU heel tab.
Several sample iterations of the Fragment Design x Air Jordan 3 have been spotted over the years including a pair which uses royal blue accents for a more traditional Fujiwara look. A gray suede sample dated 2017 was shared by Fujiwara in 2020, so it’s clear the collaboration was in the works for quite some time. The retail pair finally landed in stores during September ’20.
Fragment Design’s most recent work with Nike includes a duo of Zoom Spiridon colorways. This year, the brand is expected to resume its three-way collaboration with Travis Scott and Jordan Brand on a new Air Jordan 1 Low. The label is also slated to work on another three-brand project as it teams with Union Los Angeles on a new Air Jordan 1 High.
As for this sample Fragment Design x Air Jordan 3, it’s likely to remain unreleased, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be opportunities to own it. The pair was featured in GOAT’s 2024 Black Friday auctions, so it’s possible it could reemerge again on the secondary market. For now, a detailed look is included below.