My Sneaker Diary: Air Jordan 6 (VI) Retro – Black / Varsity Red Restoration

I found these vintage pair of Air Jordan 6 (VI) Retro’s at a local thrift store in not-so-bad condition. As a sneaker collector/restorer, it’s very exciting when you find rare sneakers. I am often shocked when I find sneakers of such a high caliber, its surreal at times.

To give you a rundown on the condition of the sneakers — the insoles were missing, suede was in need of a serious cleaning, and both the varsity red and black mid-sole paint was beginning to chip. There were also some white scuff marks on the suede which appeared to be permanent. Overall, It didn’t take long to restore these sneakers. The only requirements were to remove the damage paint with acetone and repaint the damaged surface. The suede also needed a thorough cleaning. Overall the restoration took me a total of 4-5 hours.

Unfortunately I forgot to take before photos, but as you can see, I replaced the varsity red trimming with an updated fire red colorway including a repaint of the black trim around the entire mid-sole. I hope you like restoration, stay tuned for more from my sneaker diaries.

Products used:

1. Acetone
2. Angelus Black and Fire Red Leather Shoe Paint
3. Angelus Suede Shoe Cleaner
4. Oxy Clean – used to clean the insoles