Awake NY and Jordan Brand Flip Bootleg Culture for AJ6 Collaboration

Summary

Awake NY x Air Jordan 6 celebrates AJ6’s 35th anniversary with bootleg-inspired luxury.The capsule collection features highlights such as Saffiano leather and nubuck sneakers, a matching tracksuit, and other ready-to-wear apparel.Releasing on August 24 via the brand, with raffle entry on August 23.

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Air Jordan 6, Jordan Brand and Awake NY have joined forces for their third collaborative release, exploring street-level luxury through a distinctly New York lens.

Inspired by founder Angelo Baque’s early memories of New York bootleg culture, the project subverts traditional notions of high fashion by leaning into design choices that evoke street market knockoffs — such as exaggerated color blocking, modified branding and raw, unconventional stitching. However, this bootleg illusion is counterbalanced by high-end craftsmanship, executed using premium Saffiano, Midnight Navy and Light Blue leathers paired with Game Royal nubuck, Sail accents, and vibrant Infrared 23 detailing. Signature AJ6 elements like the lace pocket, dual toggles, and visible Nike Air heel cushioning remain intact, subtly crowned by Awake NY's motif.

Extending beyond footwear, the joint release features a full apparel capsule engineered to match the sneaker's bold aesthetic. Key ready-to-wear pieces include a co-branded tracksuit, an elevated polo shirt, and a range of everyday street staples. An online EQL raffle for the Awake NY x Air Jordan 6 sneaker opens on August 23, 2026. The full capsule will officially release on August 24, 2026, dropping online via Awake NY as well as in-store at its NYC location.

Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast