The Nike Air Bakin' has spent most of the last three decades as a cult favourite rather than a regular part of Nike's retro calendar. That is about to change, and Jae Tips is making sure the comeback has a collaboration attached.
Just ahead of ComplexCon 2026, the Bronx designer gave a first look at his Jae Tips x Nike Air Bakin' Low, one of two colourways expected in spring 2027.
A Low-Top Air Bakin' in Yankees Purple
The first pair is mostly light purple, with a green interior lining, blue laces and a black outsole. Two small interlocking Swooshes sit on the forefoot, and his SAVIOR branding takes over the tongue and works its way into the AIR lettering on the heel.
The purple is not a random choice. It refers back to a Yankees cap Jae Tips designed with New Era and Hat Club, a piece often seen as one of the turning points in his career as a designer. Turning the Air Bakin' into a low-top is the other big change, and it looks quite different from the inline Air Bakin' Low that Nike Sportswear has already shown.
Why the Nike Air Bakin' Is Back
The Air Bakin' first released in 1997, a loud basketball shoe that never quite made it into the rotation of retros Nike brings back every year. That is part of why collectors like it: few people own a pair, and even fewer have seen it in new colourways.
The shoe is now having its most important moment since the original run. Nike is bringing back the original Varsity Red and Varsity Royal colourways for the first time, and the Jae Tips pair brings the model to a generation that was not around for the first release.
It also fits Jae Tips' track record. His collaborations with Saucony, such as the Saucony x Jae Tips Grid Azura 2000 'Remember Who Fronted' (2023) and the Saucony x Jae Tips Jazz 9 'I Love You But I'm Busy' (2025), are known for bold colours and storytelling names, and they rarely stay available for long.
Jae Tips x Nike Air Bakin' Low Release
The Jae Tips x Nike Air Bakin' Low is expected in spring 2027 in two colourways. The style code for the purple pair is IV6795-400. There is no official release date or European price yet, and more details should follow after ComplexCon.
Until then, you can browse the full Nike range on KLEKT, from retros to the latest collaborations.
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Images: Jae Tips / Instagram
