Matt Varga Every year, Nike and Oregon’s Doernbecher pediatric hospital join arms for the Freestyle collection, pledging proceeds from a group of patient-designed footwear to the advancement of children’s cancer care. The 2024-25 edition of the program is arguably one of its most significant markers yet, ushering in the 20th edition of the team-up effort. Official images of the Air Max Dn, designed by Connor Kassing-Fernandez, have just surfaced.
As seen throughout the Doernbecher catalog, Kassing-Fernandez’s design speaks to his enduring strength during his battle with a brain tumor, best exemplified with the “Paso a Paso”/”Step By Step” motif clad on the glow-in-the-dark outsole. The same goes for the “Battle Scars” text embedded into the midsole, further played out with the spindly, vein-like patterns that branch out throughout the shoe.
Another constant in the DB archives, Connor’s personal interests and family history are on full display; the haptic print on the upper transforms into sheet music to reflect his love for music, as does the Tn-inspired logo that proudly stamps “Air Connor” on the heel. Finally, the lace-locks are molded after a Lego brick, one of the hobbies the 14-year-old has taken to most during his battle, and the design interprets the “Connor Heart,” taken from the unique way Kassing-Fernandez drew hearts in his early childhood.
The Connor Kassing-Fernandez x Nike Air Max Dn “Doernbecher,” as well as the rest of the DB20 collection, releases via SNKRS on January 25th. Retail is set at $170 for this pair — again, all profits go directly to benefit the hospital.
WHERE TO BUY
Mens Doernbecher x Nike Air Max Dn "Connor"
US 01/25/2025 Saturday
Powered By:
| Retailer | Release type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Nike SNKRS US | Standard | Check Site |
Additional Retailer Images
-
- Nike Air Max Dn “Doernbecher” DTLRNike Air Max Dn “Doernbecher” DTLR
-
- Nike Air Max Dn “Doernbecher” DTLR
-
- Nike Air Max Dn “Doernbecher” DTLR
-
- Nike Air Max Dn “Doernbecher” DTLR
-
- Nike Air Max Dn “Doernbecher” DTLR
-
- Nike Air Max Dn “Doernbecher” DTLR
-
- Nike Air Max Dn “Doernbecher” DTLR
