Daniel Buezo, co-founder of the Los Angeles-based brand Kids of Immigrants, has achieved a lifelong dream with the unveiling of two bold colorways of the Nike Air Max Sunder. This collaboration reimagines the Y2K-era runner with deep shades of purple and orange, reflecting both Buezo’s personal journey and the brand’s commitment to community.
The partnership between Kids of Immigrants and Nike began at ComplexCon in November 2021. Rather than promoting their own merchandise, the brand chose to share its booth with 13 smaller, like-minded companies, embodying their “Support Your Friends” ethos. This unique approach caught Nike’s attention, leading to conversations that would eventually culminate in creating their own sneaker.
“Our goal was not to sell anything that was Kids of Immigrants,” Buezo said to the Complex magazine. “It was about uplifting others in our community.“
For Buezo, 36, who started his career selling sneakers in New York and New Jersey as a teenager, this collaboration fulfills a dream. The Nike Air Max Sunder, originally released in 1999, has been updated with a redesigned upper featuring wavy, gridded lines symbolizing global connections and the immigrant experience central to the brand’s narrative.
“This is the dream—for a kid like me from Brooklyn—to have your own Nike,” he says.
The Kids of Immigrants x Nike Air Max Sunder will debut at ComplexCon in Las Vegas, with the purple “Sun Down” colorway available exclusively at the event. A wider release of both the “Sun Down” and the orange “Sun Up” versions is planned for later this year. Priced at $190, the sneakers incorporate design elements that honor the brand’s roots and the journey of immigrants.
Design details include crisscrossing lines resembling latitude and longitude, referencing the worldwide journeys celebrated by Kids of Immigrants. Inside the shroud, a space allows wearers to write their name and origin, making the shoe a personal statement. Each box contains a mock calling card, nodding to the phone cards Buezo purchased for his parents to stay connected with family overseas.
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Growing up in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood, Buezo was immersed in sneaker culture from a young age. His mother, who emigrated from Honduras, wore Air Max 95s during her long hours working as a housekeeper. Sneakers were a necessity and a connection to family.
At 14, he began working in sneaker stores, fueling his passion for footwear. Earnings often went toward the latest releases, sometimes purchasing multiple pairs to keep a pristine set.
“I’d get paid just to buy shoes,” he admits.
The Air Max Sunder was not a mainstream favorite when it debuted, but Nike’s revival of Y2K-era models has given it new life. The Kids of Immigrants version strips away some original features, introducing a fresh design that maintains nostalgia while looking toward the future.
Selecting the Sunder from several potential models, including the Air Max 95, allowed for creative expression within a feasible production timeline.
“Because it was part of something they’d recently done, it was a silhouette we could pick and bring to life in the next 18 to 24 months,” Buezo explains.
The design process involved purchasing vintage Sunders for research, though the aged sneakers didn’t hold up when worn.
“I found some pairs on eBay, ordered them, and they broke apart on me,” he says.
The new design includes a small Swoosh placement similar to the Air Max 95 and a TPU cage reminiscent of the Air Max 120. Vibrant colors draw inspiration from Nike’s ACG line, reflecting Buezo’s admiration for the brand’s outdoor aesthetics.
“That was probably the toughest part—the colorways,” he notes.
Initially planning for one colorway, the team released two due to strong designs. The “Sun Up” and “Sun Down” versions feature gradients evoking sunrise and sunset, symbolizing the long hours immigrant parents work from morning to night.
Additional details include glitter-flecked Air units and interchanged colors across the models. The numbers on the tongue have been modified from the original “6453” (spelling “Nike” on a phone keypad) to the last four digits of Kids of Immigrants’ community phone number, integrating modern communication methods.
Including a calling card with each pair underscores the importance of staying connected. “Growing up in New York, I’d go to the corner store and get the right phone card for my mom to call back to Honduras,” Buezo reflects.
This collaboration celebrates heritage, community, and the realization of a childhood aspiration.
“There were many things that came together—from the generational story we’re telling, from our parents to us, and bringing all those worlds together,” he says.
Kids of Immigrants emphasizes its core message: “Together, we can achieve more.” This philosophy has guided the brand since its inception in 2016, when Buezo and his partner, Weleh Dennis, both first-generation Americans, started with determination and a shared vision.
Operating out of a small apartment in Los Angeles’ Pico-Union neighborhood, they drew inspiration from the diverse immigrant communities around them. Early experiences in New York’s melting pot neighborhoods fostered an appreciation for different cultures and entrepreneurship.
The “Support Your Friends” initiative, showcased at ComplexCon 2021, highlights their commitment to uplifting others. By featuring products from fellow immigrant-owned businesses, they demonstrated the power of collaboration.
This ethos resonated with Nike and led to the partnership resulting in the Air Max Sunder collaboration. The journey from sharing a convention booth to creating their own sneaker with Nike reflects their dedication and the strength of their community-focused approach.
The Kids of Immigrants x Nike Air Max Sunder represents the intersection of past and present, heritage and innovation. It honors the sacrifices of previous generations while providing a platform for new stories.
“This is more than a sneaker; it’s about our journey and the journeys of so many others,” Buezo expresses.
With the release of these sneakers, Kids of Immigrants invites others to celebrate their roots and the shared experiences that unite us all.
