It’s about time too! With Nike having previously debuted the hijab for Muslim athletes, and as major sportswear brands are taking strides towards inclusivity, we’re glad to announce that Nike has launched its first maternity sportswear collection, called Nike (M), which launched on 17 September.
No doubt, this caters to the growing demand of sportswear worn during pregnancy, but with the highlight on prominent athletes and their motherhood journeys, and the dedicated research that went into the line, it’s obvious that Nike is here to celebrate women as well.
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Nike (M) is a dedicated collection designed to “support women during all stages of pregnancy and beyond”, that is, both during and after pregnancy, including the postpartum stage, meant to grow with a mother’s changing body.
Here, you’ll find a capsule collection of four essential products, priced between USD45 to USD85 — a pair of tights, a tank top, a sports bra, and a fleece pullover. The campaign is modelled by athletes Perri Edwards, Marz Lovejoy, Michelle Wie West, Jeneil Williams and Ona Carbonell, who openly share their experiences — and struggles — with remaining active while pregnant, and the importance of being kind to yourself.
The innovative pieces were created after three years of R&D, where Nike combed through over 150,000 comparison scans of non-pregnant women and pregnant women, in order to determine how the body changes throughout pregnancy. Nike designers also worked with nearly 30 female athletes during the project’s development, and gathered feedback on each piece’s fit, feel and function. They had tested 70 different materials, before narrowing the selection to just nine — 78% – 88% of these are also made of sustainable, recycled polyester.
On the products, we’ll start with two of the activewear essentials. The breathable Nike One (M) Leggings, for instance, is made with zonal fabric designed to grow with you and your belly, and provides ample coverage and support for your entire bump, with a waistband you can opt to fold up or down.
“I loved how soft the tights were, and the fact that if you were a size medium before, you could be a size medium in the Nike (M) line,” says Wie West. “It takes the guesswork out of everything and it boosts your confidence. It grows with you. It decreases in size with you. I love that it’s part of your journey.”
As for the Nike (M) Swoosh Bra, it’s especially helpful for new mothers, designed with layers that aid with feeding or pumping, a special moisture-managing fabric, and an adjustable slider that gives you plenty of room too.
As for the other two items in the collection, a Nike (M) sports tank fits like a second skin and comes with a longer cut and 4-way stretch technology that provides full coverage for your baby bump. It also sees the signature Dri-FIT technology for maximum comfort and breathability. Lastly, the reversible Nike (M) Pullover features a split hem for nursing moments, or when worn backwards, gives you more space to move in.
“The Nike (M) sports bra is great because it’ll give me easy access for when I want to breastfeed,” says Edwards. “The leggings give you options of wearing over your tummy or showing your tummy, and the maternity shirt has this extra material for the extra weight that I’m carrying. You look very smart, very comfortable, very hip.”
The Nike (M) collection, from USD45 for a tank top to USD85 for a pullover, launches September 17 in North America, Europe and Africa on nike.com.
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