Nike Taps Marine Serre And Yoon Ahn For New Collection Inspired By The Women's World Cup

Nike has enlisted four female stalwarts of streetwear – Ambush’s Yoon Ahn, Koché’s Christelle Kocher, MadeMe’s Erin Magee and Marine Serre – to create a new lifestyle collection in time for the Women’s World Cup 2019 (7 June to 7 July).

“We wanted to leverage the World Cup, a moment we believe will be a tipping point for women’s sport, to engage our ever-expanding global community of partners from the fashion, design and culture space in supporting and elevating female athlete voices and sports moments,” VP and GM of Nike Women Rosemary St. Clair exclusively tells Vogue. “Together, this collective represents a voice and spirit for the next generation of athletes.”

Due to be unveiled in the coming weeks, the football-inspired lifestyle collection follows in the footsteps of another female-first launch earlier this year. In March, Nike revealed the uniforms designed for 14 of the 24 competing nations in the international football competition; created not as derivatives of the men’s kits, but specifically for the women wearing it. “We believe in the power of sport to move the world forward, break down barriers, bring people together, and inspire action,” says St. Clair.

Speaking to Vogue, the designers involved all reference the importance of accessibility, inclusivity and the need for garments to be as empowering as they are functional and stylish. “It’s true to sport and function,” says Magee of her designs. “This is the first time MadeMe has ever designed piece that can be worn at the highest level of play.” LVMH Prize winner Serre adds: “The functionality of the garment makes it a performance piece, but it also looks good.”

Sewn into each jersey, the Nike design team worked with each collaborator to include what St. Clair calls “individual messages of positivity”. She explains: “It’s a small gesture of empowerment and a commitment to be a part of something bigger.” Ahn’s Nike x Ambush jersey, for example, reads: ‘Make each game your masterpiece’.

Off-White’s Virgil Abloh and Sacai’s Chitose Abe have previously teamed up with Nike to create running-inspired collections, the latest instalment of which will be unveiled later this summer. “I want the girls who wear these pieces to feel powerful and confident,” says Kocher. “Sports and fashion can have the same magic power: to make people feel stronger. I hope these pieces will help women to perform and have fun on playgrounds and in life.”