Nike has largely been a brand catering to its male customers’ demands, but the shoe giant seems to be considering taking a more holistic and inclusive direction moving forward. First, it decides to give more support to its signed female athletes, including Serena Williams. Then, it takes bolder stands in dialogues regarding race and gender, something that not all companies of the same pull would even consider. Now, it is targeting to work with more female designers. The Swoosh has worked with many of fashion’s highly esteemed male designers, so why not do the same with women?
We don’t mean to say that Nike has not worked with women designers before. In fact, the collabs with Chitose Abe of Sacai and Rei Kawakubo of COMME des GARÇONS were given generous attention. But when compared to the partnerships with men—Virgil Abloh, Riccardo Tisci, John Elliott, among them—the females are greatly outnumbered. Nike has vowed to change that and has now announced upcoming team ups with three women that are making a name in the industry: Martine Rose, Yoon Ahn, and Sarah Andelman.
Martine Rose
Martine Rose, a designer based in London, has been making rounds for her work in menswear. Beginning in 2007, she has maintained mostly with a low profile. And yet, her designs have led to her work being highly coveted beyond the British capital, with stocks of her creations in major and highly respected retailers. She has an unusual approach to marketing and recognition, debuting her collections in what may be considered less fashionable sections of the city.
Talking about the upcoming collaboration, Rose says, “My relationship with Nike has been a very organic one and that’s what is the base for the most successful relationships. I am really looking forward to what we can do together in the future.” Although mostly dealing with male apparel, Rose is happy to be taking part in the Nike initiative to include more women. She is rumored to be creating an Air Monarch for the Swoosh, but what is sure is that she will be releasing a capsule collection by the holiday season.
Yoon Ahn
Yoon Ahn may be familiar to many as the one half of the Japanese group AMBUSH, which she founded with her husband Verbal back in 2008. In charge of the design aspect of the team, she is a self-proclaimed creative athlete, that is, someone who is committed to perfect her craft just as much as any athlete would in their sport of choice and fully focused on expressing her vision through her pieces.
Yoon Ahn says that the products of the collaboration with Nike will be simple rather than complicated, and is based on what she feels she would actually wear in and out of the gym or the field. There is focus on performance, of course, but versatility would also be another priority. Consumers would be able to maximize their sartorial investment as much as they could.
Sarah Andelman
Sarah Andelman once led the creative direction of Colette, situated in one of the world’s fashion capitals: Paris. She has been interested in many facets of fashion, but recently has been drawn to both streetwear and high fashion. This was evident with Colette and the then store’s collaborations with prestigious luxury brands such as Hermès. The concept store closed its doors back last year, but Andelman continues to lend her fashion expertise through Just An Idea, a company that offers consultation and curating services. With Nike, Andelman is expected to curate Nike Unlaced, which is the Swoosh’s sneaker boutique for women.
Image credits: Kevin Tachman/Nike, Getty Images / Matthew Sperzel, Jonnie Craig, Colette, Business of HYPE
