Since the first year of the creative partnership in 2004, the Nike Doernbecher Freestyle has generated over $33 million for the hospital. This collaborative project, now in its nineteenth chapter, looks to add to that figure with the debut of its latest collection set for a retail release in December.
Each year, Nike selects six patients of Doernbecher Children’s Hospital to partake in one of the most unique and exclusive experiences in footwear — designing a Nike shoe. Each guided by their own team of specialists, the courageous youngsters freely express themselves through a variety of colors, details, and messages — all of which are proudly on display on six different models.
Headlining this year’s Doernbecher Freestyle is the Air Jordan 3 Retro. It’s significance to this annual tradition goes back to 2011, which to this day is one of the most sought after Air Jordan Doernbecher releases in history. Alongside the AJ3 is the Dunk High, Air Max 1, ACG Mountain Fly Low 2, Cortez, and Go Flyease; each of the six designs will drop alongside a capsule of apparel and accessories.
The entire Nike Doernbecher Freestyle XIX collection is confirmed to release this December; see a full gallery of all six designs below.
In other Nike news, check out the incredible Nike 2024 Footwear Preview.
The Air Jordan 3 is back. Designed by Hugo Covarrubias Molina, this slick design takes on clear inspiration from the Seattle Seahawks uniforms, while his nickname “Juice” is predominant throughout. “It’s okay to be different” is proudly featured on the outsoles.
8-year-old Hailey Leyva gives the Air Max 1 an heartfelt upgrade. Leyva has already withstood five heart surgeries to battle her condition, while the special logos on the tongue and sockliner represent her one-of-a-kind heart. Her love of ice cream and rainbows are seen throughout, while her passion for jewelry is shared through the charm bracelet.
Macey Bodily designed an inspirational Dunk High covered in a lush floral print, with a grey ribbon on the heel representing her status as a brain cancer survivor. Macey leaves us with a gift — a recipe of her chocolate chip cookies on the inner side of the tongue label.
Garrett was born fifteen weeks premature, but he’s bounced back stronger than ever. The 12-year-old’s design on the ACG Mountain Fly Low 2 is a full homage to the nature of the Pacific Northwest, while the added mud-like exteriors adds that edgy CPFM-like flair.
Juvenile arthritis won’t slow down avid swimmer Sydney Little. Her Nike Cortez design features her own hand-drawn outwork, while resin on the heel represent water droplets from the pool. Glow-in-the-dark accents are inspired by the water ripples.
Christopher’s Nike Go Flyease design is heavily inspired by his love for Japanese culture and anime. Images of his favorite animal appear on the insoles, while a special logo inspired by Mt. Fuji appears on the tongue.