The Nike Air Max 1/97 is making a comeback!

Nike is bringing back a true cult silhouette in 2027. As has now been revealed, the Nike Air Max 1/97 is part of the upcoming Doernbecher Freestyle Collection and will thus be released again for the first time since its debut in 2018. To this day, the hybrid sneaker remains one of the most sought-after Air Max models ever and is likely at the top of many sneakerheads’ wish lists. You’ll find all the key details in this post.

THE NIKE AIR MAX 1/97

The Nike Air Max 1/97 combines two of the most iconic Air Max silhouettes. While the upper comes from the Air Max 97, the sneaker features the iconic Air Max 1 sole. The result is a hybrid model that celebrated its first—and so far only—release in 2018 as the winning design by Sean Wotherspoon in the Nike Vote Forward campaign. We’ve included a picture of this version below.

With its multi-layered corduroy upper and eye-catching colorway, the Air Max 1/97 quickly became one of the most sought-after sneakers of recent years. Many collectors still consider the shoe one of the most influential sneaker releases of the past decade. This makes it all the more surprising that Nike hasn’t re-released the silhouette since then.

That’s about to change as part of the 2027 Doernbecher Freestyle Collection. Since 2004, Nike has been collaborating on this special project with young patients at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Together with Nike designers, they create custom sneakers inspired by the children’s personal stories. At the same time, the program supports the children’s hospital and has already raised millions for charity in recent years. However, it remains to be seen whether Nike will bring the shoe back in additional colorways following the charity release.

Additional silhouettes have been selected for the upcoming collection, which will be reimagined by the young design team. In addition to the Air Max 1/97, this year’s Doernbecher Freestyle Collection also includes a Women’s Air Jordan 11 Low IE, a Women’s ACG Rufus, a Men’s Air Force 1 Mid, a Women’s Structure Plus, and another model that has not yet been revealed.

RELEASE INFO

The 2027 Doernbecher Freestyle Collection is expected to launch in January 2027. Nike has not yet released official release details. However, since releases in recent years have followed a similar schedule, there’s a strong likelihood of a release early in the year.

A style code for the Nike Air Max 1/97 Doernbecher is not yet known. As soon as more information is released, we’ll update this post immediately.

You’ll find all confirmed retailers in our store overview in due time. We’ll also keep you up to date on all important updates, restocks, and release dates via our Release Calendar and the free Dead Stock app about all important updates, restocks, and release dates. If you have any questions for us, you can easily reach us via the messaging feature on all our social media channels.