Nike Air Force 1 Fontanka

This remarkable Air Force 1 Fontanka design was created in honour of Cidni O’Brien, a young footballer who received life saving surgery on a heart problem that had stopped her playing the game she loved. It forms part of the Doernbecher collection, a set of sneakers designed each year by kids at the eponymous children’s hospital in Oregon. As Cidni herself was involved in its creation, the shoe has a series of personal details that celebrate the people and animals who helped her through difficult times, leading to a unique and touching sneaker.

Its upper is made up of red tumbled leather in the forefoot and heel overlays, smooth blue leather through the midfoot, lower eyestay and collar, and black sections on the toe box, top eyestay, heel panel and swooshes. Heart-shaped silver pins are set into the midfoot, the lower eyestay and the grey heel strip, while the toe box perforations are also arranged in the form of a heart. The same motif appears along the light blue laces, which have hearts printed on them in a deeper blue. Between these fitting symbols, the names of Cidni’s pets are written, including Bosco, Sherman and Taz. Her beloved sport of football is referenced in a graphic on the swooshes and heel panel, which has light blue patches attached to its sides with zigzag black stitching. A final red heart is printed on the black lace loop.

Her name appears on the heel patch in silver and the secondary tongue patch in black. This features the same light blue tone as the laces and the overlays on the bottom of each swoosh, as well as the rectangle of React foam in the heel of the midsole. The rest of the secondary tongue is a rich blue, whereas the primary one is black with three swooshes sewn into it in blue, white and red. A further piece of grey material fits between the dual eyestays, and complex stitching traces captivating lines across the leather panels in blue, red and black. The upper is completed by a shiny silver lace dubrae which has been etched with a swoosh on the left foot and a smiley face on the right.

Meanwhile, the lifted black midsole contains a red groove which runs around its entire circumference. Behind the React foam, the heel of each midsole carries a word printed in red – “Warrior” on the left and “Soccer” on the right. The bisected outsole is made of a translucent material to reveal a graphic underneath that shows off Cidni’s favourite food, shrimp pasta, interspersed with several swooshes. Lastly, within each shoe, two of the most important individuals in Cidni’s life have been recognised on the surface of the insole, which fades from red to white as it moves from heel to toe. The left one holds her horse’s name, Tank, and the right the word “Mom”. Each name lies above a black Nike swoosh to conclude the poignant story displayed across this exceptional sneaker.