Jovani Hernandez For many bitten by an obsession with sneakers, designing a pair is a dream. Today, 13-year-old, Jordan Carranza, has joined the exclusive roster of people with their very own Air Jordan 1, which he equipped with innovative FlyEase technology with help from the Make-A-Wish® Foundation.
Carranza, who’s battling Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a severe, progressive muscle-wasting disease, first spoke with the design team at Jordan Brand in late July. Ready even before formalities were gotten out of the way, he shared a sketch he had already worked on, and his vision for the project.
“Nike has always been my favorite brand,” said Carranza in a press release shared with Sneaker News.
For the opportunity, the 13-year-old opted for a tried-and-proven white, black and rich blue mix of colors. To personalize the one-of-a-kind pair, Carranza added “JC” lettering (his initials) to the tongue label, and created a figure in a wheelchair stamped onto the lateral heel and outsole; likely with input from the brand’s designers, Carranza’s initial sketch evolved into a sweet “Wings” logo hybrid. The motif also appears on the collar and tongue’s underside. Lastly, sock-liners feature a mantra to which the Air Jordan PE is a testament: “Just because your [sic] disabled doesnt [sic] mean that your dream cant [sic] come true.”
The Jordan Carranza PE (Player-Exclusive) will never release at retail, but the folks over at Team Jumpman saw it as imperative to promote the 13-year-old’s vision and story as it would one of their professional athletes’. By featuring FlyEase on the pair, the brand is also reiterating its commitment to develop footwear for all accessibility types.
You can catch the special Jordan Carranza “PE Watch” segment via @jumpman23 now.
