Swoosh

This spring, take your workout wear for a spin- rather, a swoosh- on the street without giving off major gym rat vibes with Nikelab x Sacai, the new fashion collaboration between Nike and Chitose Abe- Comme des Garçons alumna- of the inventive Japanese label Sacai. The collection, launching this week, proves to deliver both Sacai’s signature pleats and exaggerated shapes and Nike’s althletic expertise. Remixing sportswear originals and creating pieces like a gray Tech Fleece hoodie with reverse peplum shooting from the back, it’s about the redefinition of sport classics. Designed for a body in motion, the Nike x Sacai collection presents artful combinations, which has attracted a chorus of powerful cheerleaders, including fashion industry titans like Anna Wintour and Karl Lagerfeld.

Abe began working on the eight-piece collection by mining the Nike archives pulling references from the company’s running, tennis, and American football lines. She turned to traditional pieces and silhouettes, which she reworked to create functional yet feminine sportswear in bright colors, infused with her design signature. Nike’s 30-year old nylon wind runner jacket, for example, was recast as a skirt with plisse-style panelling, while a hooded sweatshirt was given a peplum with side openings, bringing to the garment a touch of the unexpected which is typical of Abe’s work. The inventive and playful line blends sportswear, material innovation and masculine and feminine elements. And who wouldn’t want to look stylish while navigating that elliptical? www.nike.com