by Steve Jaconetta
images by Steve Jaconetta & Nike
The sixth signature shoe of Michael Jordan, we're taking a look at the lineage of the Air Jordan 6.
Originally released in 1991, Michael Jordan wore the 6 en route to his first NBA championship. The year 2000 saw the shoe retroed for the first time, with the introduction of new colorways and Jumpman logos replacing the original "Nike Air" branding. The model was then scaled down in 2002, releasing in low-top form for the first time, along with women’s colorways and sizing.
After a couple one-off releases, the Air Jordan 6 Retro got its first full retro run in 2010. For the shoe's 23rd Anniversary in 2014, numerous styles, both old and new, released throughout the year. This year, the low-top is back for the first time since it originally debuted and "Nike Air" will be returning on an original colorway that has yet to be retroed.
Take a look at the history of the Air Jordan 6 from its first release up to the most recent retro below.
Air Jordan VI
Style Code: 4389
Colorway: White/Infrared-Black
Release Date: 1991
Air Jordan VI
Style Code: 4391
Colorway: Black/Infared
Release Date: 1991
Air Jordan VI 'Maroon'
Style Code: 4393
Colorway: Off White/New Maroon
Release Date: 1991
Air Jordan VI 'Sport Blue'
Style Code: 4392
Colorway: White/Sport Blue-Black
Release Date: 1991
Air Jordan VI 'Carmine'
Style Code: 4401
Colorway: White/Carmine-Black
Release Date: 1991
Air Jordan 6 Retro+ 'Infrared'
Style Code: 136038-061
Colorway: Black/Deep Infrared
Release Date: 08/23/2000
Air Jordan 6 Retro+ 'Olympic'
Style Code: 136038-461
Colorway: Midnight Navy/Varsity Red-White
Release Date: 09/15/2000
Air Jordan 6 Retro+ 'Midnight Navy'
Style Code: 136038-141
Colorway: White/Midnight Navy
Release Date: 10/04/2000
Air Jordan 6 Retro Low 'Metallic'
Style Code: 304401-061
Colorway: Black/Metallic Silver
Release Date: 04/27/2002
Air Jordan 6 Retro Low 'University Blue'
Style Code: 304401-141
Colorway: White/University Blue
Release Date: 04/27/2002
Air Jordan 6 Retro Low Women's
Style Code: 304402-161
Colorway: 304402-161 White/Coral Rose
Release Date: 04/27/2002
Air Jordan 6 Retro LE 'DMP'
Style Code: 136038-071
Colorway: Black/Metallic Gold
Release Date: 01/28/2006
Air Jordan 6 Retro Collezione 'CDP'
Style Code: 322719-161
Colorway: White/Carmine-Black
Release Date: 05/24/2008
Air Jordan 6 Retro 'Olympic'
Style Code: 325387-161
Colorway: White/Varsity Red-Green Bean-New Blue
Release Date: 06/07/2008
Air Jordan 6 Retro DB 'Doernbecher'
Style Code: 392789-401
Colorway: Midnight Navy/White-Varsity Red-Metallic Gold
Release Date: 11/14/2009
Air Jordan 6 Retro
Style Code: 384664-061
Colorway: Black/Varsity Red
Release Date: 01/23/2010
Air Jordan 6 Retro Premium 'Motorsports'
Style Code: 395866-101
Colorway: White/Black
Release Date: 02/06/2010
Air Jordan 6 Retro 'Oreo'
Style Code: 384664-101
Colorway: 384664-101 White/Black
Release Date: 03/20/2010
Air Jordan 6 Retro 'Pistons'
Style Code: 384664-001
Colorway: Black/Varsity Red-True Blue-Light Graphite
Release Date: 04/17/2010
Air Jordan 6 Retro 'Lakers'
Style Code: 384664-002
Colorway: Black/Varsity Purple-White-Varsity Maize
Release Date: 05/15/2010
Air Jordan 6 Retro
Style Code: 38464-102
Colorway: White/Varsity Red-Black
Release Date: 06/12/2010
Air Jordan 6 Retro
Style Code: 384664-103
Colorway: White/White-Infrared
Release Date: 06/19/2010
Air Jordan 6 Retro
Style Code: 384664-003
Colorway: Black/Black-Infrared
Release Date: 06/19/2010
Air Jordan 6 Retro 'Olympic'
Style Code: 384664-130
Colorway: White/Midnight Navy-Varsity Red
Release Date: 07/07/2012
Air Jordan 6 Retro GMP 'Golden Moments'
Style Code: 384664-135
Colorway: White/Metallic Gold-Gym Red
Release Date: 08/18/2012
Air Jordan 6 Retro
Style Code: 384664-123
Colorway: White/Infrared-Black
Release Date: 02/15/2014
Air Jordan 6 Retro 'Infrared 23'
Style Code: 384664-623
Colorway: Infrared 23/Black-Infrared 23
Release Date: 02/15/2014
Air Jordan 6 Retro 'Carmine'
Style Code: 38464-160
Colorway: White/Carmine-Black
Release Date: 05/24/2014
Air Jordan 6 Retro 'Cigar'
Style Code: 384664-250
Colorway: Raw Umber/Chilling Red-Team Red-Metallic Gold
Release Date: 06/14/2014
Air Jordan 6 Retro 'Champagne'
Style Code: 384664-350
Colorway: Pure Green/Metallic Gold-Chilling Red-Black
Release Date: 06/14/2014
Air Jordan 6 Retro 'Brazil'
Style Code: 688446-020
Colorway: Black/Light Lucid Green-Tour Yellow
Release Date: 06/21/2014
Air Jordan 6 Retro Spiz'ike 'History of Jordan'
Style Code: 694091-625
Colorway: Varsity Red/Classic Green-Black-White
Release Date: 08/09/2014
Air Jordan 6 Retro 'Sport Blue'
Style Code: 384664-107
Colorway: White/Sport Blue-Black
Release Date: 08/30/2014
Air Jordan 6 Retro 'Slam Dunk'
Style Code: 717302-600
Colorway: Varsity Red/Varsity Red-White
Release Date: 11/01/2014
Air Jordan 6 Retro
Style Code: 384664-023
Colorway: Black/Infrared 23-Black
Release Date: 11/28/2014
Air Jordan 6 Retro Low 'Infrared 23'
Style Code: 304401-123
Colorway: White/Infrared 23-Black
Release Date: 07/04/2015
Air Jordan 6 Retro Low 'Chrome'
Style Code: 304401-003
Colorway: Black/Metallic Silver-White
Release Date: 08/29/2015
Air Jordan 6 Retro Low 'Ghost Green'
Style Code: 304401-106
Colorway: White/Ghost Green-Insignia Blue
Release Date: 09/19/2015
Air Jordan 6 Retro 'Maroon'
Style Code: 384664-116
Colorway: Off White/New Maroon
Release Date: 12/05/2015