Pass me the milk.
Since the Air Jordan 6 first launched in 1991, it has been regarded as one of the most significant Air Jordan sneakers ever. After all, it is the sneaker Jordan wore on the court when he won his first NBA Finals. In the years that followed that milestone year, the Air Jordan 6 saw limited releases and retros. That all changed when things got a little interesting at the end of the 2000s.
Jordan Brand paired the Air Jordan 6 with other Air Jordan sneakers in both the Defining Moments and The Countdown Pack collections in 2006 and 2008, respectively. Those collections featured the classic Carmine colorway and a new colorway of the 6 that followed the blocking of the Infrared 6, substituting a championship gold for the iconic infrared color. Regardless of the change, the sneaker had a classic look. Once Jordan Brand began releasing more colorways of the Air Jordan 6, though, the brand began to take some risks.
Be it the 2008 Olympic Air Jordan 6, which was drastically different than the 2000 release, or the Pistons- and Lakers-inspired pairs of 2010, the sneaker used to legacy colorways had completely branched out. Sandwiched between these releases, though, was the more neutral instant hit that was the Air Jordan 6 Oreo.
More subtle than the pairs that dropped in this era, the Air Jordan 6 Oreo didn’t come without iconic details. Of course, the splatter print on the midsole, lace locks, and tongue tag became the identifying details for the sneaker. The oh-so-reminiscent splatter that called back to classic Air Jordan design was nicknamed after “America’s Favorite Cookie,” allowing the sneaker to inherit a legacy that it represented with pride.
The black nubuck upper, a material used frequently throughout classic Air Jordan sneakers, tied together the white leather that made up the rest of the upper. In an era filled with Air Jordan 6s that pushed the 1991 model further than it had gone before, the Air Jordan 6 “Oreo” opted for subtle nods to the game that brought the sneaker to the party. And for that, it became one of the best non-OG colorways of any Air Jordan 6 ever.
This weekend, the sneaker will return for the first time in 16 years. Just like in 2010, the Air Jordan 6 is in the midst of a strong run of releases. It was only right that this pair returned.
The Air Jordan 6 “Oreo” launches this Saturday, August 8th, via Nike and participating Air Jordan retailers like JD Sports.
