Sneaker Colorway Nicknames Explained: Bred, Chicago, Panda & More
Ask a sneakerhead what they're wearing and you'll rarely hear "white, varsity red, and black Air Jordan 1 Highs." You'll hear "Chicagos." Sneaker colorway nicknames are shorthand for the most famous color schemes in sneaker history, and knowing them makes it much easier to search for a shoe, read a listing, or follow a conversation.
This guide explains where colorway names come from, then decodes the most famous nicknames by model.
Quick answer: A colorway is a sneaker's color scheme. Brands give each one an official color description (like "White/Black-White"), but the community gives famous ones nicknames based on teams, colors, moments, or animals, such as Chicago (white, red, and black, after the Bulls), Bred (black and red), Panda (white and black Dunk Low), Concord (white and black Jordan 11 with purple accents), and Black Cement (black with speckled grey "cement" print).
Official Colorways vs. Nicknames
Every sneaker has an official colorway, the color description on the box label. Nike lists colors in a "main/accent-other" format, so the White/Black "Panda" Dunk Low appears as WHITE/BLACK-WHITE on its label.
Nicknames are different. They come from:
- Teams and schools: "Chicago," "Kentucky," "Michigan"
- Color shorthand: "Bred" (black and red), "Triple White"
- Moments in history: "Flu Game," "Shattered Backboard"
- Patterns and materials: "Cement," "Elephant print"
- Animals and objects: "Panda," "Black Cat," "Zebra"
Over time, brands often adopt the community's nickname in marketing and product names. Many official product listings now include the nickname in quotes.
If you want to identify a pair precisely, the style code on the size tag is the most reliable route. Our guide to the Nike shoe tag explains how to read it.
Air Jordan 1 Colorway Nicknames
| Nickname | Colors | Where the name comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | White, varsity red, black | The Chicago Bulls' colors |
| Bred | Black and red | "Black" plus "red" |
| Royal | Black and royal blue | The royal blue panels |
| Shadow | Black and medium grey | The muted, shadowy grey tones |
| Black Toe | White, red, and black with a black toe | Its black toe box |
| Shattered Backboard | Orange, black, and white | Inspired by the orange-and-black kit Michael Jordan wore at a 1985 exhibition game in Italy, where he shattered a backboard |
| University Blue | Light blue, white, black | The light blue associated with Jordan's college, North Carolina |
| Pine Green | Pine green, white, black | Its pine green panels |
| Court Purple | Purple, white, black | Its purple panels |
| Mocha | Brown, white, black | Its mocha brown suede |
| Lost & Found | Chicago colors with a vintage, aged finish | A story about finding forgotten pairs in an old shop |
The "Bred" Air Jordan 1 is also linked to one of sneaker history's most famous marketing stories, Nike's "Banned" campaign. It claimed the NBA had banned the shoe for breaking uniform rules. Historians generally believe the shoe the league actually objected to was a different model (the Nike Air Ship), but the "Banned" story became legend either way.
For more on the different Jordan 1 versions, see our breakdown of the Jordan 1 High vs. Mid vs. Low.
Air Jordan 3, 4, 5, and 6 Nicknames
| Nickname | Model | Colors and story |
|---|---|---|
| Black Cement | Jordan 3 | Black with speckled grey "cement" print |
| White Cement | Jordan 3 and 4 | White with speckled grey "cement" accents |
| Fire Red | Jordan 3, 4, and 5 | White with bright red accents |
| Bred | Jordan 4 | Black, cement grey, and fire red |
| Military Blue | Jordan 4 | White with military blue accents |
| Military Black | Jordan 4 | White, grey, and black, a twist on the Military Blue blocking |
| Black Cat | Jordan 4 | All black, named after one of Michael Jordan's nicknames |
| Thunder | Jordan 4 | Black and bright yellow |
| Infrared | Jordan 6 | Black or white with bright infrared accents |
| Carmine | Jordan 6 | White with deep carmine red |
The cement print and elephant print were both introduced on the Air Jordan 3. Elephant print is the cracked, textured pattern, and cement is the speckled grey treatment. Both remain among the most recognizable details in sneaker design. Shopping for a 4? Our guide on how to tell if Jordan 4s are fake covers what to check.
Air Jordan 11 and 12 Nicknames
| Nickname | Model | Colors and story |
|---|---|---|
| Concord | Jordan 11 | White upper and black patent leather with purple-hued "concord" accents |
| Space Jam | Jordan 11 | Black with concord accents, made famous in the movie Space Jam |
| Bred (Playoffs) | Jordan 11 | Black with red accents, worn in the playoffs |
| Cool Grey | Jordan 11 | Grey suede and grey patent leather |
| Legend Blue | Jordan 11 | White with light blue accents |
| 72-10 | Jordan 11 | Named after the Bulls' 72-win, 10-loss season |
| Cherry | Jordan 11 | White with varsity red patent leather |
| Flu Game | Jordan 12 | Black and red, named after Jordan's legendary 1997 Finals game played while ill |
| Taxi | Jordan 12 | White, black, and gold |
| Playoffs | Jordan 12 | Black and red, worn in the playoffs |
Nike Dunk Nicknames
| Nickname | Colors and story |
|---|---|
| Panda | White and black. Probably the most famous Dunk Low of all, nicknamed for the panda's coloring |
| Reverse Panda | The inverse of the Panda's color blocking |
| Kentucky | Blue and white, from the Dunk's original college team colorways |
| Michigan | Navy and maize yellow, another college team colorway |
| Syracuse | White and orange, the Syracuse team colors |
| Georgetown | Navy and grey, the Georgetown team colors |
| UNLV | Grey and red, the UNLV team colors |
| Grey Fog | White and soft light grey |
The college nicknames trace back to the Dunk's 1985 debut, when Nike released it in the colors of top college basketball programs. The Dunk has been tied to team colors ever since. Many of today's most popular Dunk colorways are direct descendants of those originals.
If you're buying a Panda, read our guide on how to spot fake Nike Dunks first. It's one of the most counterfeited colorways in the world.
Nike Air Max and Air Force 1 Nicknames
| Nickname | Model | Colors and story |
|---|---|---|
| Infrared | Air Max 90 | White and grey with bright infrared accents, the original 1990 colorway |
| Silver Bullet | Air Max 97 | Metallic silver with red accents, inspired by Japanese bullet trains |
| Neon | Air Max 95 | Grey gradient with neon yellow-green accents |
| Triple White | Air Force 1 | All white, the best-selling AF1 colorway and an everyday classic |
| Triple Black | Air Force 1 | All black, the white AF1's polarizing twin |
Adidas Yeezy Nicknames
The Yeezy Boost 350 V2 was known almost entirely by nicknames:
| Nickname | Colors |
|---|---|
| Zebra | White and black striped knit with red "SPLY-350" text |
| Beluga | Grey with an orange side stripe |
| Bred | Black with red "SPLY-350" text |
| Cream White | All off-white (also called "Triple White") |
| Black Static | Black with reflective threads |
The original Yeezy Boost 350 (V1) also had famous nicknames, including "Turtle Dove," "Pirate Black," "Moonrock," and "Oxford Tan."
Common Colorway Naming Patterns
Once you learn the patterns, you can decode new nicknames on your own:
- Bred = black and red
- Triple [color] = one color throughout
- Reverse [name] = the colors of a famous colorway swapped around
- OG = the original colorway of a model, as in "OG Bred"
- [City or team] name = team colors (Chicago, Kentucky, Michigan)
- Cement = speckled grey print, usually on Jordans
For the rest of the vocabulary (DS, VNDS, GR, QS, and more), see our sneaker slang glossary.
Frequently Asked Questions About Colorway Names
What does "colorway" mean?
A colorway is the specific combination of colors used on a sneaker release. The same model, like the Dunk Low, can come in hundreds of colorways.
What does "Bred" stand for?
"Bred" is short for black and red. It's used for black and red colorways across many models, most famously the Air Jordan 1, 4, and 11.
Why are Panda Dunks called Pandas?
The Nike Dunk Low in white with black overlays resembles a panda's black-and-white coloring, so the community nicknamed it "Panda."
Why is it called the "Chicago" colorway?
The white, varsity red, and black color scheme matches the Chicago Bulls, the team Michael Jordan played for when the Air Jordan 1 debuted.
What is "cement" on Jordans?
Cement is a speckled grey print, like grey with black flecks, introduced on the Air Jordan 3 and later used on the Jordan 4 and other models.
How can I find a shoe if I only know the nickname?
Search the model name plus the nickname, for example "Jordan 4 Military Black." To confirm the exact pair, check the style code on the size tag or scan it with a sneaker identifier. Our guide on how to identify sneakers from a picture covers every method.
Colorway nicknames are sneaker history in shorthand. Each one carries a team, a moment, or a story. Learn the big ones and you'll navigate releases, resale listings, and sneaker conversations with ease.
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