#shegotgame - Nike NYC x OFF-WHITE Football Mon Amour Workout
It’s officially World Cup time! Sport has a way of bringing people together - across cultures, languages and even continents. I’m grateful that I’m living in New York while the World Cup is on, as the city - like the tournament - is a big melting pot of people and all kinds of football fans. While it’s disappointing that both the American team, and my home country of Canada didn’t qualify, at least football fever is still spreading through the city.
One of the most anticipated components of the World Cup is the product - the jerseys, shoes, the official (and not so official) gear, and all kinds of collaborations. Suddenly, soccer shirts are replacing t-shirts, and all sorts of brands jump on the trend. Nike’s Nigeria kits are some of the most hyped of the year, but that’s not all they’re doing. Outside of the official on-field gear, Nike collaborated with superstar designer Virgil Abloh on a limited soocer-inspired Nike Lab collection called “Football Mon Amour”. Abloh grew up playing the beautiful game, and mixing in sport into his streetwear, heavily graphic branded offerings - the collection makes sense. It’s interesting to note that the collection is positioned under the Nike Lab brand - not Nike Training or Nike Football (soccer) - meaning that it’s not being pushed as a technical, performance line but more for lifestyle wear.
The apparel, specifically the jerseys, are the strongest offerings along with the hoodies and tees - signatures of any Abloh collaboration. The collection is mostly black and white with splashes of orange and blue, making it high impact for high contrast instagram photos. The checkerboard touches are reminiscent not only of actual soccer balls, but also remain a signature of Abloh's designs. The accompanying sneakers, the Flyknit Zoom Fly, is a take on the Mercurial cleat, “I wanted to communicate where a player strikes the ball. So, I put dots on the boot; if you’re going to strike the ball, your foot/eye coordination is basically the only variance of chance. That's what the collection started with, these running shoes that mimic the same as your actual boot on the pitch so that you started subconsciously training all the time. Then I just applied that aesthetic from the bottom up.” The shoe feels a little off-balance compared to the regular Zoom Fly that does not have the same Flyknit upper - but it's also not being pitched as a performance shoe - it's inspired by sport by routed in aesthetics, not running.
This past Monday, I had a chance to try out the new kit while going through a football conditioning inspired workout, by a pier on the Hudson River in New York City. It was an intimate setting led by two Nike trainers - Joe Holder and Ariel Fox - both from S10 Training here in New York.There were two tented locker rooms set up for men and women, and our personalized lockers were filled with goodies.
We were laced up with the Nike Mercurial Superfly 360 Elite cleat. It’s an incredibly snug fitting cleat, given that it has a 360 Flyknit upper. I would size up if you’re picking up a pair - I wore a men’s 5/women’s 6.5 (I’m usually a men’s 4 or 4.5) and they were tight but not uncomfortable. Any smaller and I would have lost circulation in my toes! Next up were a pair of knee high soccer socks, shorts (some wore the Off-White dual layer shorts - I had a pair of Nike training shorts) and a jersey.
The actual workout was based on the conditioning that football athletes have to go through to be successful on the pitch. There was a dynamic warm up with plenty of running and exercises to open hips and emphasize quick feet. We also did partner drills that athletes and simple equipment like bands and ladders were brought in to focus on specific muscle groups and to build intensity.
Press and influencer workouts can sometimes leave me wanting a bit more in terms of intensity and variety, but I found the workout to be well balanced, decently timed (50 minutes total). While I probably should be more mindful of how sweaty I get when cameras are around (oops) - I didn't feel guilty for missing my earlier workout that day. The beautiful weather and location certainly helped too. As someone that practices yoga regularly, I was really intrigued by how Joe and Ariel brought in breathing exercises and techniques in a training environment and how certain alignment was different than what I usually practice. While there was no actual soccer played, I did get a sense that we trained as though we could sub into a rec league someday.
After the workout, we were treated to delicious juices and plant-based patties from Ghetto Gastro and gifted a pair of the Flyknit Zoom Fly from the collaboration. A great snack and reward for our efforts. I'm really curious to see what else Abloh and Nike will be doing with on-going football-based collaborations and how it will evolve. Check out more photos below and let me know what you think about the collection, which is available now.
Photo credit: Jason/NotAfraidtoFail/NikeNYC. Special thanks to Malitza Aguila for the invite.
#shegotstyle: Elements of Personal Style with @nikelab x @sacaiofficial and @champssports
Fashion and style are often looked at as two different entities - fashion is the business, while style is more a question of personal taste. As my style continuously evolves, it always remains intrinsically different. In the age of blogging and social media, I've often felt both a sense of kinship with fellow fashion weirdos but also, a bit outcast when it comes to what generates likes, hearts and emojis. Prevailing trends have become somewhat homogenous, across Instagram, Pinterest and influencers. Can there be early adoption in the style world anymore thanks to the internet? Is personal style still personal, or is it all for public display?
Fashion and style are often looked at as two different entities - fashion is the business, while style is more a question of personal taste. As my style continuously evolves, it always remains intrinsically different. In the age of blogging and social media, I've often felt both a sense of kinship with fellow fashion weirdos but also, still a bit of an outcast when it comes to generating likes, hearts and emojis. Prevailing trends have become somewhat homogenous, across Instagram, Pinterest and influencers. Can there be early adoption in the style world anymore thanks to the internet? Is personal style still personal, or is it all for public display?
Photo by Pierre Richardson.
Growing up, I was always most happy when I was taking style risks. Within the risks, there are always a few elements that I take into account when selecting pieces and creating looks to the pieces that I select still fit into my overall signature look. The "athleisure" trends is something that was always organic to me, mixing skate shoes and sneakers with dresses, long before Vogue and Chanel followed suit. Sporty spice elements and comfort are necessary in all almost all of my ensembles. "High and low" dressing, wearing high fashion brands and more accessible labels, is now de rigueur. As Zara outfits and Nike sneakers are oft paired with Chanel bags and Celine glasses (guilty). Finally, I like special pieces and texture. The mark of an interesting outfit is always in the mix of textiles as wearing the same fabric head to toe, even in different colors and patterns, seems a bit safe. Adding a fur, leather or suede elements to say, neoprene or cotton adds dimension and interest that I love.
Photo by Pierre Richardson.
Keeping all these elements in mind, I was ecstatic when I heard that Japanese brand Sacai was collaborating with Nike Lab, Nike's most progressive and fashion forward label. Chitose Abe, Sacai's founder and designer, used to work for Comme des Garçons, under one of my idols - the legend Rei Kawakubo. Abe's designs are often made with interesting and unique textiles, incorporating cool details and plenty of movement. It's a much more progressive brand choice than other athletic wear collaborations as of late. The first iterations of collection caught my eye, but I didn't have a chance (or at the time, the $$$) to invest in a few pieces. Naturally, I was over the moon when a package from Nike Lab showed up on my doorstep a few weeks ago.
Photo by Pierre Richardson.
The packaging itself is special, as my jacket came in a large, cloth garment bag and hanger that was branded with the collaboration's logos (Nike always remembers these small touches). Inside was Abe's unique take on the infamous windrunner, Nike's marquee lightweight jacket. The hood and body of the jacket is completely covered in faux fur made from acrylic and polyester, while the arms made of ripstop fabric feature prominent Nike branding.
Photo by Pierre Richardson.
The actual shape of windrunner is different too, as it's loose fitting with a trapeze coat type of cut similar to the swinging jackets of the 1960's. There is a elastic cord with toggles along the bottom hem of the jacket that allows you to adjust the flare of the trapeze shape, but it's most fun to wear the jacket unbunched at the hem so it flounces as you walk (or spin - you definitely need to spin in this jacket). The loose fit coupled with the heavier weight of the faux fur means that when the jacket is worn open, it hangs off the shoulders, allowing for more movement, rather than a snug fit.
Photo by Pierre Richardson.
Styling the jacket, especially given the volt (neon lime green) and midnight blue colorway, was a bit of a challenge. I wanted the rest of the outfit to echo the three main elements of the Nike Lab x Sacai jacket - high fashion, sporty styling, and a textural melange. I decided to pair the bright jacket neutral colors and relatively basic silhouettes rendered in interesting fabrics. My top is a black Elizabeth and James crop top with a mesh insert between the bust. Since the jacket is so detailed and covered up, I wanted to show a little skin to balance it out and wear black so the colors popped against the top. The shorts are by Rick Owens and are made of cream silk with a drop crotch silhouette. They're simple, but interesting and not always the easiest to wear when you're thicker in the thigh department like me. Much like the top there is a sheer element as the shorts are somewhat see-thru and the length also allows me to not be so swallowed up by fabric - long, wide pants felt too heavy paired with the jacket. To add a little more interested and cover myself up a tad, I wore Pretty Polly tights under the shorts. They tie the top with the shorts as the tights are both black and sheer and give a bit of a graphic, streetwear element to the look.
Photo by Pierre Richardson.
The shoes are the Nike Roshe Run Print and are courtesy of the fine people at Champs Sports. The sneakers, like the rest of the outfit besides the jacket, are black and white with some visual interest thanks to the print. I was originally planned to wear black and white block heels, which also works for the look, but decided against it to show that even a short girl can wear such a voluminous piece like the windrunner without having to add extra inches. Since we shot in daytime on an overcast day, I kept my Celine sunglasses handy.
Photo by Pierre Richardson.
Personally, I love the jacket. It allows me to make a personal style statement without having to even open my mouth. It's impossible to be a bad mood when you wear the windrunner because it's so unique and equal parts utilitarian and ostentatious. Fashion should be fun, and personal style should make you feel happy, empowered and most importantly, like the very best version of yourself. After all, who doesn't want to look like an high fashion muppet? Grover wishes he could be this chic!
Photo by Pierre Richardson.
The jacket retails for $800 US but is unfortunately completely sold out on Nike.com. However there are a few popping up on eBay if you're so inclined. The shoes are available at Champs now for $80 US. More outfit images and the Polyvore shopping guide for the rest of my look is below, using a mix of exact and similar items. Thanks for reading and let me know how you would style the Nike Lab x Sacai windrunner or if you'd be daring enough to wear it yourself!
Hello, World!
All photos by Pierre Richardson.
shegotfit: Nike Live Crate Workout #GETOUTHERE
On Saturday evening, I finally braved the cold, dark Canadian evening and checked out the Nike Live Crate in downtown Toronto for an outdoor High intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout. This season Nike launched the #GETOUTHERE campaign in North America featuring athletes from both Canada and the US braving the elements to stay fit and earn the all important sweat equity. I’ve always been into playing sports, less into going to the gym. I tend to either get bored of routine or sometimes anxious and judged in the stereotypical gym atmosphere. I’m also a bit of modern nomad so it’s tough for me to commit to one workout regime in one city. I started using the Nike Training Club (NTC) app when it launched as it allows me to do strength training, yoga, pilates and other workouts no matter where my travels took me - to my parents’ house, to couch surfing in New York to being home in Toronto. The NTC workouts at Academy of Lions take their app from off your iPhone to IRL and certainly feel both more punishing and more effective.
I’ve been checking out the NTC workouts through blogger friends and saw that they were launching the new campaign. Thankfully, I was in Toronto over the weekend so despite the chilly temps, wet snow and rain and mild anxiety thanks to doing an advanced workout while being photographed, I headed down. After all, I’ve recently gotten back into running and outdoor fitness and I’m always up for learning new ways to stay warm in Canada’s often frigid temperatures.
The Nike Live Crate at 229 Richmond Street West is an actual shipping crate that features Nike iD design desks, outtfit grid-style layouts of gear for lifestyle, running and training for men and women along with plenty of iPads to play with all the iD options. It was like a smaller version of what was set up for the Nike Women’s 15KM - except with the options to iD product and of course, emphasizing that nike.com now ships to Canada (finally!)
For the actual #GETOUTHERE workout, we got to try out the new Nike out brand new winter ready gear with our customized locker that included (for the ladies) a bra, tank, hoodie, vest, leggings and shoes as well as a branded towel and water bottle that we got keep. There was a photographer, DJ Feelgood Smalls spinning uptempo tunes like “Hotline Bling” and “Sorry Remixes” and because it’s Nike - even a drone was filming us. I suddenly realized why many of the girls were wearing make up - sweating isn’t cute, y’all. But it sure was worth it!
We did about an hour workout in front of the crate right on Richmond Street as the wet snow and rain came down and people passing by stopped to gawk. Eva Redpath, Canada’s Nike Master Trainer and Ryan Lauderdale, Nike Master Trainer from Los Angeles along with two professional long jump and running athletes as well as assitant trainers that I’ve worked out with before at the Academy of Lions NTC classes. I tend to do the beginner or intermediate workouts on the NTC app so this certainly motivated me to step my fitness game up at home. We did a dynamic warm up that featured plenty of running, high knees, butt kicks and lunges. There were one legged squats to push ups, plenty of plank variations, sprints, partner work and as always, a jumping group photo. Everyone seemed to work up a great sweat despite the chilly temps.
Being a Nike gear and footwear nerd, the wear test experience is a major part of these free workouts. Here’s a real breakdown of how I felt about the fit, style and performance of the apparel and footwear (all prices in CAD):
Nike Pro Fierce bra - $60 - this bra features comfortable, medium support, I didn’t notice any extra bounciness so I would wear it for similar cross training and perhaps running. I wear a size 32D or 32DD regularly and wore a size medium and the fit seemed fine.
Nike Get Fit tank - $48 - I keyed in the wrong address in my Uber (oops) and I ended up two blocks away from the crate. So thanks to my airhead mistake, I was a few minutes late. In my rush to change (and need to take a few snaps, obviously), I didn’t put the tank on. It may have helped a bit with wicking but unfortunately I can’t evaluate it. It looks cute and felt soft though!
Nike Pro Hyperwarm Limitless hoodie - $150 - I liked this fit of this piece, I wore a size small and I’m 5’3ish and 130lbs, the fit seemed fine. It certainly kept me warm and I didn’t notice it showing too much sweat. It certainly kept me drier than some cheaper DriFit-style tops by brands like Uniqlo. I might consider buying it.
Nike Pro Hyperwarm Limitless tights - $150 - These leggings were incredibly comfortable and fit well in size small, I may have been able to size up as I carry a lot of weight in my legs, butt and hips. However, I didn’t find them binding, or the waist gapping - a problem I have with most leggings. They were warm and super flexible and allowed for ease of movement as well. The only downside - the camel toe and the price.
Nike Therma-Sphere vest - $180 - The material of this vest - the Therma-Sphere high tech material is water resistant, incredibly warm and soft to the touch. I ended up taking mine off half part way through the work out as I got incredibly warm. I wore a small and may have sized up with all the layering. While I like the vest, I think I'd prefer the jacket version ($215) for the cold Canadian winter as I find jackets to be more practical. The neoprene-like warmth might be too much for those with a more mild winter.
Nike Free Cross Compete training shoe - $125 - I demoed them in a size 5.5 which fit me snug, how I prefer my fitness shoes to fit. However, if you like to wear insoles in your training shoes, I'd size up a half size. I like the Free Cross Compete, the grip seemed decent in the rain however, I don't know if the Nike Free sole is right for me as I have a high arch, the Free sole is flexible but not necessarily very supportive.
Out of all the gear I tried, I’d be most likely to pick up the Hyperwarm hoodie or tights, although $150 for each piece is a little steep but they did perform well and kept me warm throughout the workout.
I had a great time at the Nike Live Crate #GETOUTHERE work out and would certainly do it again. Unfortunately the crate is now off to Vancouver so the west coast can get the Nike Live experience. Nike Toronto is running outdoor workouts on top of the Bell Lightbox for the next four weeks and you can sign up for free at nike.com/Toronto. If I’m in town, I’m going to be there, enjoying every minute of the burn. Once I get over my fear of running with super fit, incredibly fast people and feeling like an asthmatic snail, I’ll join a neighbourhood Nike Run Club (NRC) too. The social aspect and coaching really does make a difference as the usual podcasts and trap music I usually listen to while working out solo can get a little lonely after awhile. Let me know what you think of the gear and if you’ve checked out any of the free Nike workouts in Toronto or your city. Until then, layer up my friends!
Jersey Judgement: Nike NCAA National Championship Uniforms
We're only six days into 2015 and it's already a historic year in sports, especially in the NCAA. This college football season marks the first ever national championship playoff, and two Nike teams - Ohio State and Oregon - have made it to title game on January 12th. The uniforms leaked last week as they were available to purchase via the Nike Store but now, Nike Football has finally released the backstory to uniforms and some very intense photos.
Much like the last series of NCAA football uniforms, the Nike Mach Speed uniforms embody a superhero theme, complete with menacing wings and capes. (Imagine if Nike made the mascots too? They'd be terrifying yet amazing.) One of the most interesting details of both uniforms is the use of the fractal diamond swoosh on both the pants and jersey, which is almost holographic and reminiscent of 90's swooshes on sneakers.
The Oregon Ducks uniforms is sleek and tonal, using a white jersey, wolf grey pants and silver accents on the clothing and on accessories like the wings on the helmet and the diamond swoosh. Little details are harder to appreciate, like the fact that the chest graphic on the Ducks' base layer is angled specifically to 27 degrees to represent the Ducks 27 bowl game appearances. However one glaring commission from the Ducks kit is the lack of their two primary school colors - green and yellow. The only whisper of green is in the gloves, which reveal the color when the player flexes his hands. Nike is known for using the Ducks squad as their gear and apparel test monkeys and since there is no repercussion from the NCAA governing body on colorways, Nike is free to experiment and give the Ducks custom jerseys for single game!
The Ohio State is more traditional with the use of color blocking and is inspired by the stylings of the 1968 Buckeyes uniform. The Buckeyes will sports a home red jersey, also with wolf grey pants and silver and white touches. The updated old school uniform features the traditional grey helmut, ready to be adorned with Buckeye stickers as well as stripes down the pants, across the shoulders and in the center of the helmet. It should be noted that between the two teams there are only six colors used. Gone are the days of a clashtastic final match up a la any Boise State game.
If I had to pick a favorite between the two uniforms, one that updates the past and the other that looks to the near future of sportswear - it would be the Ducks. The silver wings, the tonal styling (very on trend) and little details really make the uniform special yet still understated. Take a better look at the uniforms and in-game accessories below and let us know which team you'd ride with aesthetically speaking and your pick for the big game on Monday.
Source: Nike.com