There was a time before the Martine Rose x Nike Shox Mule MR4 took over our feeds and Pinterest inspo boards. That time now seems like ages ago, with the collaboration proving to be one of the most exciting and successful ones Nike has taken on in its recent years, and the link up just keeps on giving, with a full new collection ahead of the Women’s Football World Cup.
Kicking off in just over 2 weeks, Nike is prepping itself for the event taking place in New Zealand this year, having recently released its new Phantom Luna Boot. Back on an offering that has been meticulously thought-out, Nike x Martine Rose’s new collection is subverting the styles from the Women’s Football World Cup.
Football is not just a sport, it’s a part of a wider culture that brings so many together. While historically men have been the face of this culture, the British designer is switching things around by creating a gender-neutral collection that focuses on tailoring. Speaking on the collection, Rose stated “I want women to feel powerful in their suits like men do”, before adding “Anyone can wear it. I hope one day we’re not talking about gender in sport and are just talking about the sport”.
Button-ups in pale pink, blue and white resembling a football jersey, some tailored trousers and jackets with a discreet horsebit pattern, and a long beige trench coat with two sets of sleeves, the collection is meant to accompany the player “getting off the plane” and “arriving on the pitch”. In a series of classics taken on with a Martine Rose twist, the young designer and Nike are basically styling footballers to be style icons.
We got to talking with Jarrett Reynolds, VP Catalyst Apparel Design, who told us he and Rose had the “idea of us doing something weird and subversive”. He went on to say “let’s go nuts, let’s go kind of punk. Working with [Martine] is like being in the presence of a master, for real. So when she’s like ‘here’s our sketch, here is our mockup’ […] you have to respect that”.
It wouldn’t be a complete Martine Rose x Nike collection without some Shox MR4s. We see the hit model in a blue and purple colourway, inspired by a 90s goalkeeper’s jersey, that was also spotted on Rose’s own runway just a few weeks ago in Paris. The collection is finished off with classic but reinterpreted football accessories like gloves and below-the-knee high-rise socks.
Whether you’re into football or not, there’s no denying that the Martine Rose x Nike collab goes hard, and it’s going to sell out when it lands online on July 25.
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