Nike's 18th Annual Doernbecher Freestyle Collection Packs Heat
What better way to start the week than feasting your eyes on the 2023 edition of Nike's Doernbecher Freestyle collection? The Swoosh has officially unveiled the 18th edition of its annual fundraiser with a closer look at all six of this year's special-edition sneakers, and there's plenty to write home about.
Whether you fancy yourself a bit of a sneakerhead or like to keep a humble rotation of some of your childhood favorite silhouettes, chances are you've heard of Nike's annual Doernbecher Freestyle collection.
For those unfamiliar with what the collection is all about, it's a yearly charitable initiative that sees six children undergoing treatment at the Doernbecher Children's Hospital design their dream sneakers, which are then auctioned off in a fundrasing effort.
Since kicking off in 2004, the initiative has raised an enormous $31M for the hospital.
The collection has boasted several styles that have become mainstream hits, and the 2023 drop is no different.
This year's offering includes an impressive line-up – an Air Foamposite One by 11-year-old Coley Miller, an Air Huarache by 13-year-old Dario Villaseñor Valdivia, an Air Max 90 by 15-year-old Emerson Harrell, a Zoom Vomero 5 by 10-year-old Jaren Heacock, an Air Presto by 12-year-old Kylee Young, and an Air Jordan 1 Low by 15-year-old Riddhi Mahajan.
When the full reveal hit the internet, fans were quick to celebrate Jaren Heacock's Zoom Vomero 5.
At the tail-end of last year, it became clear that the Samuel Ross-backed silhouette would be having a big comeback, with several new styles scheduled for the months ahead, with even more rising to the surface in the first few weeks of 2-23.
Jaren's style is unlike anything we've seen before on the Zoom Vomero 5, with a bright palette of orange, yellow, and red inspired by his Chinese Zodiac sign, the Dragon, coloring the silhouette.
You can find full details on each silhouette, the children that designed them, and their inspirations via the OHSU Foundation website.
The 2023 Nike Doernbecher Freestyle collection launches on February 25, with prices ranging from $100-230, and all profits going to the Doernbecher Children's Hospital.
