Every year, since 2004, Nike and OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital have come together for a cause. And what’s cooler than sneakers for a cause? It’s sneakers for a cause that are designed by kids! This year promises to be as cool as all the previous 20 years of cool kicks. So today, we’re gonna meet our six heroes who designed some of this year’s coolest drops! They’re full of style, creativity, personality, and colors. Now, let’s dive right in and find out what the Nike Doernbecher Freestyle 21 has in store for us!
What’s Nike Doernbecher Freestyle?
In 2004, Nike and OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital came together to launch the Freestyle program. Every year since then, the program selects six awesome patients to design a collection each! The program then auctions the sneakers and apparel, with the profits going to the hospital. So far, more than 100 kids got to tell their stories through sneakers, and we’re still counting. The program has raised over $44 million for the hospital to help the kids who need it! Now, let’s find out what our young designers brought to the table.
Meet the 21st Edition’s Heroes!
In 2025, we have Sergio, Molly, Raegan, Khovny, Oli, and Zach on the design table with the Nike team! Now, the kids’ designs were first available for auction in Portland on October 17. For the rest of us, the full collection will be available on Nike SNKRS and at select retailers this winter.
Moreover, Nike Doernbecher Freestyle 21 will also include two apparel items to pay tribute to the six young designers! We have a men’s Nike Club Fairway Cardigan and T-shirts in men’s and kids’ sizes. Each item will feature elements from each of the kids’ designs. Talk about personalized drops, right?
Khovny Vignery, 8 – Nike V2K Run
Our starter this year is Khovny, who surprisingly likes snakes, but that’s not even the flashiest thing about her. The Nike V2K Run that she designed is mismatched, glittery, features a friendship bracelet, and glows in the dark! In addition to all that, the kicks will also feature removable accessories like charms, a mini stuffed animal, and even a sequin snake. If that’s not enough personality for you, we don’t know what is.
Oli Fasone-Lancaster, 9 – Nike Air Force 1
Next up on our list is the future Chef Oli! So Oli’s favorite movie is obviously Ratatouille, and the cooking inspo is written all over his design. The sneaker of choice is the iconic Air Force 1, which has a rich history of its own! Now, Oli’s pair features ingredients all over the sole section as well as removable patches on the heel area. But the coolest bit about these babies is the miniature silverware that comes tucked into the shoe’s lateral Swoosh!
Sergio Cano Marquez, 10 – Nike Air Max Plus
Sergio is a cool bean, and so is his Nike Air Max Plus design! These babies are probably the coolest thing you’ll see this year. First, they’re mismatched, with each foot featuring a doodle-ish design that pays tribute to his love for gaming, drawing, and lizards eating pizza. Second, we have design elements on the tongue that are all about basketball! So all in all, it’s colorful, playful, and pretty joyful.
Molly Bell, 13 – Nike Vomero Plus
This one is an outdoorsy pair through and through! Molly certainly knows what she likes and perfectly laid it out on the Nike Vomero Plus. The green pair features Oregon’s native camas flower across the upper and on the insole. Meanwhile, the sole unit is brown to hide the dirt when you’re on your outdoor excursions! You can also expect a field journal to come with the pair to complete the theme.
Raegan Scheid, 13 – Nike Air Max Dn8
Sports and sneakers go hand in hand, and that’s what Raegan thinks too! The D1 softball star commemorated her return to playing through a personalized hangtag. But the cool details are all over the pink Air Max Dn8, and they’re all sports-related. Our two favorite details though are the softball stitches on the Air unit and the “Raegan Max” heel logo that replaces the original Air Max logo!
Zach Rumbaugh, 17 – Air Jordan 17
Last, but definitely not least, the Jordan 17 finally makes its Nike Doernbecher debut with Zach! And this pair isn’t a random choice. You see, the silhouette was inspired by Michael Jordan’s motorcycle, and it happens that Zach love to tinker with bikes and cars! Suede, carbon fiber and iridescent details are a nod to car components. Meanwhile, the shoe’s purple upper takes a page from custom wraps!
How to Score the Nike Doernbecher Freestyle 21 Drops
So, as we already mentioned, this whole collection will be available via Nike SNKRS this winter. Keep an eye on our blog for an exact release date soon! Now, if you’re feeling like helping out the cause or simply like the kicks, you might wanna grab them for retail. To do that, you’ll need a good sneaker bot that supports Nike SNKRS! Luckily for you, NSB3 can do that much more. So, what are you waiting for? Go on and get your copy today to be ready when the time comes. Godspeed!
