Extending Nike’s longstanding history of unique prints and patterns, the summer 2019 NikeCourt collection uses an 18th-century art form to decorate the apparel for Paris.
A toile print depicts pastoral scenes of skeletons amid tennis-specific details, including a served ball, a dapper spectator and more.
Other details are specific to Nike (check out the Swoosh on the skeletons’ shoes) and its World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, like the trees and geese that populate its campus.
The design appears through vignettes scattered over black and white bases of knit fabric on the NikeCourt men’s polo and the women’s long-sleeve top.
“We wanted to play off the history of the area in an unexpected way,” says Abby Swancutt, NikeCourt Global Design Director.
“We saw a big opportunity pairing a classic French motif within a traditional sport like tennis.
When you see the toile pattern, you’re expecting something from the past, but in reality, we’ve infused playful elements from Nike’s history, and in turn, put it on performance fabrics to make it modern.”
Additionally, player options will include two more looks: a floral print, which appears on the men’s jacket, pant and shorts; and a bee, a classic French mark, on the women’s top.
By combining knit fabrics, performance-driven materials, and culturally resonant motifs, the nation’s artistic heritage playfully comes to life on the court.
The NikeCourt Paris collection released on May 20 and is on nike.com and at select retailers.