To coincide with its first dedicated maternity collection, dubbed Nike (M), Nike released a very impactful short film to celebrate the strength of females around the world. Titled “The Toughest Athletes,” the film, which was shot and directed over Zoom, spotlights the power of women during one of their most transformative stages in life: pregnancy and early motherhood.
More than 20 mothers across various stages of their pregnancy and postpartum journeys are featured in the one-minute video, including star athletes and role models Serena Williams, Alex Morgan, Perri Edwards, Bianca Williams, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Nia Ali. Every day mothers from various countries are also celebrated.
The Nike (M) collection was developed in the course of three years after studying and analyzing more than 150,000 scans of non-pregnant and pregnant women. The boundary-pushing range comprises four activewear pieces for pregnancy and postpartum including the Nike One (M) Tight, which features a waistband that can easily fold to hide or show the baby bump; the Swoosh Bra equipped with layers to give easy access for breastfeeding or pumping; the Tank designed to accommodate nursing; and the reversible Pullover with a split hem that provides space for a growing belly.
Each item is designed to adapt to the growing body as it changes through pre-pregnancy to the first bump and beyond. The range additionally focuses on providing support and comfort for all mothers that wear the pieces without compromising on style or technical specifications. And to further push Nike’s sustainability agenda, each activewear item is made from a range of 78 to 88% recycled polyester.
“The more we listened to expecting mothers and postpartum mothers, the more we learned, reworked and innovated through inclusive design,” says Carmen Zolman, Nike senior design director for apparel innovation. “It’s the project of a lifetime to work in lockstep with all kinds of mothers to bring to life a capsule that truly supports women’s relationship with sport during such a transformative time in their lives.”
Priced between $55 to $105 CAD, the Nike (M) collection is available now on nike.com.
All images in this article are courtesy of Nike.
