Nike will release the Air Jordan 6’s original “White Infrared” colorway on November 7, 2026.
First introduced in 1991, the White Infrared is one of Michael Jordan’s sixth signature basketball shoe’s original colorways. This retro edition is its first appearance in about 12 years, since 2014.
The release also coincides with the Air Jordan 6’s 35th anniversary. It stands apart from earlier retro editions by recreating the shape and color combination of the original 1991 model while restoring the “NIKE AIR” branding on the heel.
White Leather and Infrared: Restoring the 1991 Design
Designed in 1991 by Nike designer Tinker Hatfield, who drew inspiration from Michael Jordan’s German sports car, the Air Jordan 6 combines the performance technology of its time with structural elements of automotive design.
Layered leather panels give the high-top silhouette, which rises above the ankle, its sculpted shape. Perforations along the sides and around the ankle, a two-hole tongue and a heel pull tab for putting the shoes on and taking them off became defining elements of the design.
The 2026 White Infrared retains that structure, pairing a white leather upper with a black tongue and lining. Red accents on the midsole and lace lock set up a contrast among the three colors.
The curve along the side where the white upper meets the infrared midsole is a visual feature that distinguishes the Air Jordan 6 from other Jordan models. The translucent outsole and visible Air unit in the heel also carry forward elements of the 1991 design.
One of the most significant changes in this retro edition is the “NIKE AIR” logo on the heel.
The 2010 and 2014 White Infrared retro editions used the Jumpman logo, but the 2026 model restores the branding of the original. Nike also says it has recreated the shape, fit and color combination to closely resemble the model from 35 years ago.
The White Infrared has been rereleased several times since 1991, with variations in the shade of infrared and details of its shape. After those changes, this edition marks a return to the original design.
Michael Jordan’s First Championship and Slam Dunk’s Kang Baek-ho
The Air Jordan 6 is known as the signature basketball shoe Michael Jordan wore in 1991 when he led the Chicago Bulls to their first NBA championship.
Jordan won his first championship ring that year by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. The Air Jordan 6 “Black Infrared” he wore during the series became one of the shoes that defined his playing career.
The newly released White Infrared was an original colorway introduced alongside the Black Infrared in 1991, but it also gained widespread recognition beyond the basketball court through another work.
That work was Takehiko Inoue’s basketball manga Slam Dunk.
The first basketball shoes worn by Slam Dunk protagonist Kang Baek-ho were the Air Jordan 6 White Infrareds. In the story, he buys the shoes, which the manager of Chieko Sports had treasured, for just 30 yen.
With little basketball experience, Kang Baek-ho wears the shoes as he develops into a player on the Buksan High School basketball team, running the court through repeated practices and games until holes wear through them.
Kang Baek-ho later gets a new pair of basketball shoes, the Air Jordan 1 “Black/Red,” from the same store. But the White Infrared remains a symbolic reminder of when he first began devoting himself to basketball.
The Air Jordan 6 also illustrates the relationship between sports and popular culture: a real NBA player’s signature shoe appeared in a popular Japanese manga, which in turn introduced it to sneaker fans.
November 7 Release, Priced at $215
The Air Jordan 6 White Infrared was released on Nike SNKRS on November 7, 2026, in a full family size range covering adults, children and toddlers.
Introduced in 1991 as Michael Jordan’s signature basketball shoe, the Air Jordan 6 White Infrared is also remembered as the first basketball shoe Kang Baek-ho wore in Slam Dunk.
Reissued 35 years later, the model shows how basketball shoes can be more than equipment for a game, carrying the sports culture of a particular era and the stories told in manga.
