Quick Facts
- The latest Doernbecher Freestyle collection features the Air Max Plus
- The pair was designed by Sergio Cano Marquez
- It features mismatched shoes that tell two different stories – one inspired by video games and the other by monster lizards eating pizza in NYC
- Sergio Cano Marquez's Air Max Plus will release as part of the Doernbecher Freestyle 21 Collection this winter
Since 2004, Doernbecher Freestyle has stood as one of Nike’s most meaningful collaborations – a heartfelt partnership with Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital that’s raised more than $44 million for pediatric care and research. Each year, six young patients are invited to turn their personal stories into sneaker form, designing one-of-a-kind silhouettes that are auctioned and sold to benefit the hospital. Among the Doernbecher Freestyle 21 collection, one standout is the Doernbecher x Nike Air Max Plus by Sergio Cano Marquez, a design that perfectly captures the creativity and courage at the heart of the program.
Sergio Cano Marquez was born with a rare genetic condition called mucopolysaccharidosis type IV A, but he’s never let that limit his creativity. For his Air Max Plus, he flipped the script entirely: the left and right shoes are deliberately mismatched, each telling a completely different story. The right sneaker dives into a nighttime world filled with video game graphics and nods to Sergio’s love of drawing, while the left bursts with cartoon monster lizards devouring pizza against a vibrant NYC backdrop.
Down south, Air midsoles offer cloud-like comfort with every step, and to round it all off, each pair is packed in a special edition shoebox, wrapping Sergio’s imagination into a collectible piece of sneaker art. It also comes with an exclusive jersey keyring and six sets of laces, so you can make yours truly your own.
Beyond the shoes themselves, Doernbecher Freestyle continues to make a real-world difference. All profits help fund the cost of care for families in need, support specialized treatments unavailable elsewhere in the region, and expand groundbreaking research that benefits children worldwide. It’s proof that sometimes, sneakers can do more than look good – they can change lives.
The Doernbecher x Nike Air Max Plus by Sergio Cano Marquez will release alongside the rest of the collection this winter $180. If you want a pair in your rotation, make sure you download the Sole Retriever mobile app.
Images via Nike
Adam Cheung is a writer and editor who specialises in sneakers and streetwear. Over the past few years, he's curated features and guides for everyone from Burberry to Nike. Often travelling between the UK and Hong Kong, don't be too surprised if you find Adam anywhere else around the world taking street photography or feasting on the local delicacies.
