Scheduled to drop in full on 1st September, the collaboration between tennis superstar, Serena Williams, and the Oregon-based brand takes inspiration from ‘90s trends and West African fashion. Serena Williams Design Crew, or SWDC, is an apprenticeship programme which was formed back in 2019, as Williams and Nike sought to work with up-and-coming designers from underrepresented backgrounds. The 23-time Grand Slam winner reflects:
“The world isn't one colour. We come from different backgrounds and think differently. When you bring all that diversity together, can you begin to imagine the amazing things that you are able to make?”
Nike’s commitment to putting creativity into the hands of the next generation is one that has fuelled this collection. Each year, a different set of young designers will partner with the Sportswear Giant to complete this apprenticeship programme, in order to produce ‘game-changing’ work.
Serena stated that, "When I step on the court, I definitely want to stand out. I'm Serena and I like to be different. I just like taking a chance when it comes to design”. This collection takes on bold prints with a few personal touches. African Kente cloth-inspired patterns can be seen donning leggings and sports bras in bright orange, as well as her daughter's ‘OO’ initials appearing across the collection (this, of course, also means “love” in tennis, how lovely).
Keep it locked into The Sole Supplier to hear more about the collection soon. We can expect to see two Nike Court Legacy drops, as well as a special Nike RYZ 365. You can already shop the Air Max Koko below, as well as selected pieces from the collaboration.
