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A Body in Motion: The NikeLab x sacai Collection

The fruits of NikeLab’s collaborative spirit are blooming just as winter thaws into spring with a explorative fashion x performance collection from renowned Japanese designer Chitose Abe of sacai. Inspired by the Nike archive of running, tennis, and American football heritage sportswear, the NikeLab x sacai eight-piece capsule collection playfully weaves delicate detailing with sportswear fabrics into fashionable silhouettes, accentuating form with fluidity.

Notable details of the collection include the comfortably loose nature of fleece designed with openings and underlays revealing peeks of special mesh lace hem specially developed by Nike and Abe to adorn the front and rear trim of the collection’s tops, the combination a feminine flair to a sporty aesthetic. Similarly, athletic knee highs transition into fishnet detailing in the back, while plissé-style pleating outlines a feminine shape from the amorphous structure of fleece. It’s only while in motion the juxtaposition of athletic function and fashionable detailing come alive to underline the body in motion, an edgy hybrid that looks worthy of both a run and the runway.

Additionally, a special edition NikeLab AirMax 90, a reductive interpretation of the iconic Nike running shoe sans laces. A full leather top sits atop of a contrast midsole, the darker section creating a tromp l’oeil effect of a wedge profile.

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The special edition NikeLab Air Max is available in shades of obsidian/black with volt lining, volt/obsidian with volt lining, and wolf gray with volt lining.

The special edition NikeLab Air Max is available in shades of obsidian/black with volt lining, volt/obsidian with volt lining, and wolf gray with volt lining.

“The idea of functionality is important to me, as is fabric innovation, which has always been at the heart of sacai. For me, Nike is an original icon with performance and innovation at its core. It has been inspiring to work together.” – Chitose Abe

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“The garments come to life as the wearer walks and moves, expressing both beauty and strength. We feel it’s a perfect marriage between sport and style.” – Kurt Parker, VP/Creative Director, Nike Sportswear

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“Working with traditional silhouettes and ideas that often come from utility or performance-based sportswear, I’m interested in creating new hybrids that combine different fabrics and shapes to create an unexpected yet wearable result.” – Chitose Abe

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NikeLab x sacai collaboration resulted in eight pieces: Tech Fleece hooded sweatshirt with zip, Windrunner jacket, Sport Skirt, Graphic tee, Tech Fleece dress, Tech Fleece crew top with back zip, and Tech Fleece pant.

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Like what you see? The NikeLab x sacai spring collection becomes globally available on March 19 at NikeLab retail outposts in New York, London, Paris, Milan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and also at the the NikeLab website. A planned summer collection update is scheduled to refresh the whole collection with seasonally appropriate new colorways with the addition of the Windrunner skirt, graphic Nike tank, and the NikeLab Dunk Lux in June.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.