John Kim 
There are very few other ‘controversial’ topics in the world of kicks than the custom sneaker, thanks to veritable atrocities like the Spongebob Squarepants Jordan Dub Zeros and Barack Obama Air Force 1s. Maybe it’s because custom sneakers teeter-totter on the border between ‘personalized’ and ‘counterfeit’, but sneakerheads generally prefer to leave sneakers in their original forms. Nike changed up that attitude when it introduced Nike iD – the online and in-store sneaker customization experience that allowed sneakerheads to design their favorite Nike silhouettes with never-before-conceived colorways and patterns; However, during its 5+ years of existence, Nike iD never allowed for an Air Jordan Retro to be customizable. Combined with the notion that the Air Jordan Legacy is sacred territory, custom Air Jordans have remained a touchy subject.
Over the last few years, sneaker customizers and artists have honed their skills and sharpened their tools, creating some outstanding projects that have received a surprisingly warm reception from the sneaker community. 2010 was a great year for the Air Jordan VI Retro and thusly has been one of the more popular canvasses to work with, as it is considered one of the most popular and historically significant sneakers in the entire Air Jordan history. We’ve collected some of the best Air Jordan VI custom jobs done by individuals (who may be household names) like MizzeeCustoms and Eric Lowry, so take a look below and vote for your favorite Air Jordan VI Custom, and stay tuned for more great categories of Sneaker News Battle Of The Customs!
Designed by: MizzeeCustoms
The Air Jordan VI ‘White Cement’ custom was done for a customer in Virginia. The inspiration comes from the Air Jordan IV White/Cement, with the ‘cement’ print seen on the tongue as well as on the midsole. The translucent outsole has also been smoked out similarly to the Air Jordan VI ‘Motorsports’.
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Designed by: Eric Lowry
This Air Jordan VI custom is a tribute to Jordan Brand Tokyo23 – the Japan-based Jordan Brand hub. The yellow, black, and white colorway is adopted from the Tokyo23 banner, and resembles the Air Jordan V Tokyo23, which was a Japan-exclusive limited release. Just ten of these were made by Lowry, and feature a ‘1-of-10’ label on the upper.
Designed by: MizzeeCustoms
This custom project was commissioned by Orlando Magic guard and noted sneakerhead Gilbert Arenas, who had plans of wearing the shoe during the second round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs. it features Orlando Magic-specific design cues, like the pinstriping on the midsole, star detailed on upper, and the Orlando Magic team logo on the heels.
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Designed by: MizzeeCustoms
This Air Jordan VI custom was a tribute to one of MizzeeCustoms’ favorite Air Jordans – the Air Jordan VII ‘Bordeaux’. It was made for fellow sneaker customizer Emmanuelabor. Miz used the Air Jordan VI White/Varsity Red as the base, and even experimented with new materials, like reflective 3M on the Light Graphite upper.
Designed by: MizzeeCustoms
According to Miz, ‘Cool Grey’ is a colorway that could define Jordan Brand (aside from Black/Red). The Air Jordan VI ‘Cool Grey’ was a special request made to Miz, and he executed the ‘trending’ colorway perfectly, implementing a glossy patent leather-like upper. This pair was later worn at Sneaker Con NYC by the individual who commissioned this project.
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Designed by: MizzeeCustoms
Using the Air Jordan VI ‘Oreo’ as a base, MizzeeCustoms selects the ‘Hare’ colorway of the Air Jordan VII – an Air Jordan that he admittedly dislikes – and transfers it to its predecessor – the Air Jordan VI. He publishes his completed project on February 3rd to commemorate the Chinese New Year, which signifies the Year of the Rabbit.
Designed by: Eric Lowry
The ‘South Beach’ theme is without a doubt the most popular colorway over the last year, thanks to LeBron 8 ‘South Beach’ Eric Lowry wows the crowd with a South Beach version of the Air Jordan VI, which comes accompanied by a splatter-painted wooden shoe-box. The Air Jordan VI ‘South Beach’ was a huge Sneaker News fan favorite for its colorway as well as its impeccable execution.
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Designed by: MizzeeCustoms
MizzeeCustoms has mentioned earlier that the Air Jordan VII isn’t particularly a favorite of his, but he won’t ever back down from a challenge. Using the Air Jordan VI Lakers, Miz blacked out the upper 3M for a true tonal-black theme, and gave the translucent outsole a deep purple hue. The tongue is also customized with the zig-zag pattern, one of the notable trademarks of the Air Jordan VII.
