Air Jordan 13 (Doernbecher Freestyle Collection 2015)

UPDATE: In-stores this weekend, fam. Who's Mary Coppin?

This year's release is one that has had collectors conflicted since its . Patent leather has certainly fallen out of favour with sneakerheads in recent years and is a far stretch from it's peak-popularity in the mid 2000s. That said, you've gotta remember that this wasn't a shoe designed to cater to the tastes of Jordanheads – this is one kid's dream shoe! That kid is 11 -year-old John Charles. John's one of the unlucky 0.0032% of the US population stuck living with Crohn's disease and its eternal suckiness, so the opportunity to design a shoe for the  was a chance for him to express the daily struggle that comes with the inflammatory disease to the remaining 99.9968% population. Stuck downing seven pills every morning (which John has got down to one big gulp!) to fight the condition, the pills have been immortalised on the shoe as a expression of this constant battle. 'Crohn's' is printed all over the outsole as a way for John to 'literally stomp out the disease with every step', while the words "Courage', 'Strength' and 'Fight' stand between them as a reminder to keep on trucking! The shoes are packed with loads more details of great personal meaning to the young battler, but we don't want to give them all away. If you're keen to open your heart to a bit of patent love then you better be ready to swoop like a hawk when these drop stateside November 21st at select Nike stockists and Nike.com (10am EST) – these will be gone in an instant! Both mens and GS sizes will be available, along with a matching Jordan cap and hoodie.

- Originally published on November 14, 2015.