Serena Williams is finally unveiling her Design Crew collection with Nike on Sept. 1 that will feature footwear, apparel and accessories that have a ’90s streetwear vibe and spirit. The collection was created by 10 New York-based design apprentices. The Nike x Serena Williams Design Crew initiative first launched in 2019 when the athletic apparel company sought out diverse talent through Harlem’s Fashion Row, New York area community colleges and through its own retail stores, from which three designers were recruited.
“It was casting a wide net, asking where are all you getting your designers from, and saying let’s cast a net over here or over there, where you typically wouldn’t go. I wanted to see more people who looked like me. It started with a conversation of Nike wanting to invest in the power of people, and embrace that diversity fosters creativity…I was excited to be a part of that,” Williams told Women’s Wear Daily.
The Nike x Serena Williams Design Crew will feature a new class of apprentices each year. The tennis star also reviewed sketches and portfolios to finalize the first group that traveled to Nike headquarters before the pandemic lockdown. A second group, recruited from Chicago and the Midwest, worked remotely as well.
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