Jordan Brand is like a never-ending supply of fresh, stylish color combinations. Perhaps one of the main motives why—even decades after the line debuted in 1985—there’s still so much anticipation for new releases as a result of it. The same classic shapes keep being reissued, and they’re always well-received thanks in large part to the footwear giant’s knack for bringing back past hues.
The sixth iteration of the Air Jordan was designed by the great Tinker Hatfield, and it had all the same features that made the previous models so popular. When it was first unveiled in its signature “Infrared” colorway, the AJ6 became an immediate success among sneakerheads. Three decades after its initial introduction, the Air Jordan 6 has been the subject of several iterations, collaborations, and retros.
Nike releases a slew of new and updated silhouettes and iterations almost every year, not to mention a slew of bold, eye-catching colorways. In 2017, the brand rolled out highly sought-after releases such as the Air Jordan 6 “UNC,” “Gatorade,” and “Chameleon” followed by possibly one of the shoe’s biggest collaborations to date—the “Olive” 6s saw Jordan Brand unite with Travis Scott for the first time. 2023 continues the trend with more drops scheduled throughout the year, including a “Cool Grey” release.
On the other hand, the throwback versions of the Air Jordan 6 are the ones that sell out the fastest. Nike capitalized on the public’s fondness for the 1990s by releasing a slew of retro-style Jordan 6s. Furthermore, it’s safe to assume that Nike has several other color schemes tucked in the vault for fans of the silhouette. For those of you seeking to step up your Air Jordan 6 game, we’ve mapped out a blueprint of some of the best releases to date.
Air Jordan 6 Retro Bordeaux
In homage to its successor, the Air Jordan 7, the “Bordeaux” colorway adopts that model’s signature color palette. The upper is made of a plush nubuck material, and it has a grey underlay with black overlays for some contrast.
Bordeaux accents land on the neck and molded heel tab, while the transparent tongue includes a multicolor design that mimics the AJ7’s neoprene tongue. Rounding out the design, the heel of the grey and black polyurethane midsole conceals an Air-sole unit, which provides ultralight cushioning.
Air Jordan 6 Retro Red Oreo
Jordan Brand’s retro lineup is growing, with the Air Jordan 6 getting a lot of attention in 2022. Although they had previously been released in a variety of player-exclusive hues, the “Red Oreo” iteration brings the sneaker back to its original color scheme of university red and white.
The shoe’s upper, lining, and sole are all white, drawing attention to the titular “Red Oreo” insignias on the lace toggles and accents at the shoe’s midsole and heel. Crisp white leather panels and perforated quarters make up the remainder of the shoe. White panels and an icy sole are the finishing touches on this shoe’s style.
Air Jordan 6 Retro Infrared
Michael Jordan wore the original hue of the Air Jordan 6 Retro “Infrared” when he won his first NBA championship, and the 2019 iteration stays faithful to that design. The mid-top is largely dressed in black nubuck with a luminous 3M layer below, and it has Infrared accents on the midsole, heel tab, and lace lock. Originally debuted in 2000, the throwback brings back an original feature: Nike Air branding on the heel and sockliner.
Air Jordan 6 Retro UNC Home
Jordan Brand’s “UNC Home” colorway is part of an ongoing series honoring Michael Jordan’s alma university. It takes its inspiration from the school’s colors by using a light blue nubuck upper foundation with white leather overlays and navy embellishments to represent the school’s official colors of university blue, white, navy blue, and black.
The lace toggles and tongues feature Jumpman logos, while the transparent tongue tags and woven tags at the back read “Air Jordan.” The shoe is heightened by white and black Air-enhanced midsoles and blue rubber outsole pieces.
Air Jordan 6 Retro Hare
After working together on a memorable commercial campaign in the early ’90s, Hare Jordan and Air Jordan have entered a new phase as partners in crime with the release of the Air Jordan 6 “Hare” in 2020. These kicks, directly inspired by the legendary Air Jordan 7 of the same name, have a plethora of bright colors and graphics that call back to the Looney Tunes character.
The “Hare” release combines a grey suede base with white leather overlays, much to the Air Jordan 6 “Alternate ’91” from 2017. The remainder of the construction, however, is completely unique. The tongue is transparent, displaying a wavy red, yellow, green, black, and white design in classic Hare Jordan style. The insole and tongue lining has the same pattern, while the orange and green lace toggles are a sly reference to Bugs Bunny’s signature carrot.
The neoprene top has a black Jumpman logo at the neck and a purple Jumpman logo at the heel for a splash of color. Elsewhere, the midsoles are constructed with a combination of white EVA foam and red rubber that is partially see-through and encases the transparent Air Max unit in the heel. Finally, the style is capped off with a huge Jumpman logo and a tricolor outsole.
Air Jordan 6 Retro OG Carmine
With the 30th anniversary of the original release, the Air Jordan 6 Retro OG “Carmine” returned to the market in 2021. This iconic colorway is the first Air Jordan 6 to have contrast color blocking on the upper, and it was worn by Michael Jordan during his first championship season. White leather overlays, featuring a heel panel with the Nike Air logo, reinforce the sneaker’s carmine red nubuck base.
Air Jordan 6 Retro Chameleon
Nike debuted the Air Jordan 6 Retro BG All-Star shoe for the 2017 NBA All-Star Game, held in New Orleans. The upper of the “Chameleon” color scheme is crafted from black leather with a color-shifting iridescent finish; 3M reflective accents; and breathable perforations add to the shoe’s fashionable and comfortable wear. Nike’s trademark Air-Sole unit reinforces the foam-cushioned midsole, delivering outstanding support and pressure alleviation.
Travis Scott x Air Jordan 6 Retro British Khaki
The Travis Scott x Air Jordan 6 Retro “British Khaki” reunites Jordan Brand with the Houston rapper and follows 2019’s highly sought-after “Olive” colorway. Suede and canvas make up the upper, which is finished off with a burst of crimson red.
The storage pocket reappears on the lateral collar, while a new zippered design element is included on the medial side. Both the left and right shoes have Nike Air and Cactus Jack logos on the heels, but the midsole, the outsole, the tongue, and the lace lock all have various designs.
Air Jordan 6 Retro Electric Green
Designed to look like the uniforms used by the University of Oregon Ducks football team, these shoes have a mostly black top with flashes of dazzling electric green across the whole sole.
The lace toggles, the Jumpman logo on the tongue, and the sports car-inspired tab on the heel all take pleasure in the bold hue. The sole unit of these nubuck-heavy Jordans is mostly two-tone—similar to the original Jordan 6 from 1991, this pair’s black midsole is detailed with white stitching atop a semi-translucent outsole and heel Airbag dipped in a contrasting color. The tread also has the pair’s signature electric green branding.
Air Jordan 6 Retro Chrome
Later in 2022, a “Chrome” iteration of the Jordan 6 appeared, adding to the year’s already impressive lineup of releases for the shoe. Taking cues from the “Black Metallic” Air Jordan 6 Retro Low and the “Defining Moments Pack” Air Jordan 6 from 2006, this pair reimagines two vintage silhouettes.
The “Chrome” treatment, previously only seen on the low-top iteration of the silhouette, has now made its way to the original high-top iteration. The classic design of the sneaker is immediately apparent with its black nubuck upper and silver Jumpman insignia on the tongue, heel, outsole, and sockliner.
The midsole, the heel, and the distinctive packaging all have the sneaker’s titular accents. Completing the design of this colorway is a sole unit that has a blue transparent finish in the same proportion as the black rubber outsole.
Air Jordan 6 Retro Gold Hoops
The women’s-exclusive Air Jordan 6 Retro “Gold Hoops” is a nod to the sneaker Michael Jordan wore while winning his first NBA title, updated with metallic gold detailing.
There is a visible Air-sole unit in the heel of this retro mid-top, which is constructed from white tumbled leather and detailed with barely rose touches on the tongue, heel tab, and midsole. The gold-laced hair is complemented with a set of three gold hoop earrings, the lowest of which has a Jumpman charm dangling on a thin gold chain. To round off the colorway, the outsole of these kicks is made from a milky transparent rubber.
