Nike has announced its 19th annual collection of sneakers designed by patients from Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Six silhouettes will release in December, helping to raise funds for the hospital while highlighting the stories of the children behind them.
The Doernbecher Freestyle collection dates back to 2004, when Michael Doherty, Nike executive and member of Doernbecher’s board of directors, suggested giving children the opportunity to design their own sneakers as a fund raise for the hospital. Each year since, six children have been chosen to work with Nike designers volunteering their time to create footwear and apparel — often with bold colorways and intricate details inspired by the children’s lives.
This year’s collection consists of an Air Jordan 3, Dunk High, ACG Mountain Fly 2 Low, Air Max 1, Cortez, and Go FlyEase. Below, we’ll take a closer look at each sneaker.
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Air Jordan 3 by Hugo Covarrubias Molina
Hugo “Juice” Covarrubias Molina is a 14-year-old diagnosed with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome, which causes one side of his body to grow larger than the other. His own logo appears on the Air Jordan 3’s heel beneath a transparent mustache featuring the Jumpman logo and his nickname in gold. Slime details feature throughout the Seattle Seahawks-colored upper, and the laces glow in the dark. Beneath the translucent green outsole is Molina’s handwritten message, “It’s OK to be different.”
Nike Dunk High by Macey Bodily
Macey Bodily is 15 years old diagnosed with brain tumor and narcolepsy. The floral pattern appearing on her Dunk High was hand-painted by herself, and Bodily’s mantra, “She believed she could so she did” is printed onto the light violet midsole. The grey ribbon embroidered near the lateral heel symbolizes her status as a brain cancer survivor. Bodily’s love of baking sees a chocolate chip cookie appear on the outer tongue tag, and on the inside you’ll find her own recipe for the dessert.
Nike ACG Mountain Fly 2 Low by Garrett Amerson
Garrett Amerson was born born 15 weeks early and weighed just one pound, seven ounces. Now 12 years old, he loves science and used his ACG Mountain Fly 2 Low as an ode to the Pacific Northwest. A tree landscape sitting atop a rock pattern decorate the upper, while the midsole comes with mud splatches already printed on. The blue tongue is meant to invoke waterfalls, while purple butterflies that appear throughout nod to his twin brother, who passed away in the NICU.
Nike Air Max 1 ’86 by Hailey Leyva
Hailey Leyva is 8 years old and has a congenital cyanotic heart disease. The anatomical heart logo on the tongue and sockliner of her Air Max 1 is modeled after the unique shape of her heart. Five hearts hand-drawn by Leyva appear on the toe box to represent the five members of her family, while a detachable bracelet features 10 charms of her favorite things. The translucent pink outsole hosts gold specks because Leyva loves sparkly things.
Nike Cortez by Sydney Little
Sydney Little is a 14-year-old who hasn’t let juvenile idiopathic arthritis stop her from being an artist and competitive swimmer. Elements hand-drawn by Little feature throughout the Cortez, including the floral print and a heart-shaped logo made with the Nike team. Glow-in-the-dark lines on the outsole mimic the reflection of a pool, and a hook-and-loop mustache allows for customization.
Nike Go FlyEase by Christopher Musquiz Jr.
14-year-old Christopher Musquiz Jr. lost his leg after being hit by a car on his bicycle. His Go FlyEase, a sneaker designed for easy on and off for people with disabilities, reflects his love of Japanese culture. A wave pattern featuring throughout the upper also nods to his ideal day being spent at the beach, while the tongue uses red lines inspired by a kimono wrapped around a rubber Mt. Fuji patch. On the sockliner, a grapic depicts Musquiz Jr.’s favorite animal, a panda, sitting alongside him on the beach. The insole graphic hosts footprints leading to a portal along with the hand-written phrase, “Smarter than you think.”
Nike has confirmed all six of its Doernbecher sneakers will release Dec. 2 through the SNKRS app. Pricing ranges from $90 for the Cortez to $210 for the Air Jordan 3. 100 percent of the proceed will go to the children’s hospital.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
