The Awake NY x Air Jordan 5 collaboration brought two completely different interpretations of one of the most important Jordan Brand silhouettes in 2025: the colorful Arctic Pink and the darker Black/Racer Blue.
Behind the project is Angelo Baque, founder of Awake NY, who reinterpreted the Air Jordan 5 through references to New York culture, custom branding, and modifications that go beyond a simple new colorway.
Both sneakers have now been released: the Arctic Pink arrived in August 2025 via Awake NY, while the Black/Racer Blue also received a subsequent distribution through Nike SNKRS and select retailers. Let's see what makes them different and why this collaboration is one of the most interesting Jordan projects of 2025.
Awake NY and Jordan Brand: how the collaboration was born
Awake NY is the project founded by Angelo Baque, deeply linked to the culture of New York City. The brand builds its own language by mixing streetwear, art, music, and references to the various communities that make up the five boroughs.
The relationship with Jordan Brand had already begun before the Jordan 5, but this collaboration represents a particularly important step because it works on a historic silhouette designed by Tinker Hatfield and originally launched in 1990.
In 2025, the Air Jordan 5 also celebrated its 35th anniversary, making the Awake NY project even more significant.
Instead of just changing the colors, Awake modified some of the most recognizable elements of the silhouette by introducing its own logo, new embroidery, and details dedicated to New York.
Awake NY x Air Jordan 5 Arctic Pink
The first version is the Awake NY x Air Jordan 5 Arctic Pink, identified by SKU DV4982-600.
The sneaker uses a pink leather upper that completely transforms the traditional look of the Jordan 5. In contrast, there are black and red elements, while the reflective tongue maintains one of the most recognizable features of the original silhouette.
One of the most obvious interventions by Awake concerns the side panel. The classic mesh structure of the Jordan 5 is reinterpreted by directly integrating the large Awake NY "A" logo.
The heel also tells the story of the relationship between the two brands: on the left shoe, the traditional 23 remains, while on the right, the "NY" embroidery appears, a direct reference to New York.
The result is a Jordan 5 much more personal than a simple pink colorway: several elements of the silhouette have been modified to incorporate the Awake identity within the Jordan design.
When was the Jordan 5 Awake NY Arctic Pink released?
When the first images began to circulate, the Arctic Pink was generically indicated as a late summer 2025 release. The launch officially took place on August 17, 2025 via Awake NY.
The pink version was the more exclusive of the two and, unlike the Black/Racer Blue, it did not receive a second global release via Nike SNKRS.
This narrower distribution helped make the Arctic Pink the most difficult variant of the collaboration to find.
Awake NY x Air Jordan 5 Black Racer Blue
The second interpretation changes the register completely. The Awake NY x Air Jordan 5 Black/Racer Blue, SKU DV4982-004, uses a premium black upper with contrast stitching and Racer Blue details.
Compared to the Arctic Pink, the result is much closer to a dark, versatile sneaker, but the Awake interventions remain immediately visible.
The "A" logo is still integrated into the side panels, while the co-branded Awake NY x Jordan in Racer Blue appears on the Metallic Silver tongue.
Here, too, the right heel replaces the traditional "23" with the "NY" embroidery, while the left retains the original reference to Michael Jordan.
The heel also uses the classic Nike Air, a detail particularly appreciated on retro Jordan reinterpretations.
When was the Jordan 5 Awake NY Black Racer Blue released?
The Black/Racer Blue was initially proposed alongside the Arctic Pink via Awake NY in August 2025.
It subsequently received a wider distribution on August 30, 2025, arriving on Nike SNKRS and at select retailers.
The official retail price in the United States was $230, while subsequent availability on the secondary market varies based on size, condition, and demand.
The greater distribution of the Black version compared to the Pink one makes the two sneakers different in terms of availability: they share the same project, but they were not launched in the same way.
Arctic Pink vs Black Racer Blue: which one changes the Jordan 5 more?
The two colorways use the same basic idea but produce almost opposite effects.
The Arctic Pink is deliberately flashy. Pink completely dominates the upper and is broken up by black, red, and metallic details. It is the version that departs most from the classic image of the Jordan 5 and the one that communicates the creative language of Awake NY most immediately.
The Black Racer Blue, on the other hand, maintains a much more traditional base and builds its personality through more controlled contrasts: black leather, light stitching, Racer Blue, and Metallic Silver.
What unites them above all are the details developed specifically for the collaboration: the "A" logo integrated into the side panel, the co-branding on the tongue, and the interplay between 23 and NY on the heels.
The meaning of "NY" and the A logo on the Awake Jordan 5s
The "NY" detail is not simply decorative. From the beginning, Awake NY has built its identity around New York City and the diverse cultures that coexist within it.
Replacing the "23" on one of the two shoes with NY therefore means placing two identities on the same model: Michael Jordan's historical one and Awake's territorial one.
The same applies to the large "A" logo. On the original Jordan 5, the side mesh is one of the most characteristic details of the silhouette; transforming it into the brand's letter means modifying a historic element without completely erasing its visual function.
It is precisely this ability to intervene in the structure of the sneaker, rather than just printing a logo on it, that makes the project more interesting.
Why the Air Jordan 5 is important for this collaboration
The Air Jordan 5 was created in 1990 by the work of Tinker Hatfield and belongs to a fundamental phase of Michael Jordan's career.
The silhouette is immediately recognizable for its reflective tongue, transparent side panels, lace locks, and the characteristic "teeth" on the midsole inspired by fighter jet graphics.
Awake NY maintains these fundamental elements but places them within a language linked to contemporary New York.
This balance allows the sneaker to clearly remain a Jordan 5 even when the Awake logo takes the place of one of the model's most characteristic elements.
Awake NY Arctic Pink: why is it the rarer of the two?
The two versions did not have the same distribution.
The Arctic Pink was linked primarily to the Awake NY launch and did not subsequently arrive on Nike SNKRS in the same way as the Black/Racer Blue.
The Black version, however, received a wider release at the end of August through Nike and various retailers.
This does not mean that the price of the Pink version is automatically destined to increase over time: the resale market can change significantly based on demand. However, it does mean that, from the perspective of original availability, the Arctic Pink was the most limited variant of the project.
Where to buy the Awake NY x Air Jordan 5?
Both official releases are now over, so availability today depends on retailers that still have stock and the secondary market.
On ResellZone, you can check the available sizes of the Air Jordan 5 Awake NY Arctic Pink and the Air Jordan 5 Awake NY Black Racer Blue.
When purchasing limited-quantity collaborations, it is important to always check the SKU, materials, packaging, stitching, and product origin.
Why the Awake NY x Jordan 5s are more than just two colorways
The most interesting point of the collaboration is not establishing which of the two has more hype or which might be worth more.
Awake NY used the Jordan 5 to tell its own identity by modifying some of the silhouette's historical codes: the side panel becomes an "A," the number 23 coexists with "NY," and the Jordan branding is accompanied by that of the New York brand.
The Arctic Pink and the Black Racer Blue tell the same story through two opposite personalities: one explosive and immediately recognizable, the other darker and more controlled.
It is precisely this balance between Jordan heritage and New York culture that makes the Awake NY x Air Jordan 5 one of the most successful chapters of the 2025 Jordan collaborations.
