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Women are insulted by what Nike thinks female athletes want
Nike has released a new women's sportswear collection that looks more appropriate for a fashion runway than a gym.
The collection, designed with the Japanese fashion studio Sacai, includes knee-length skirts, billowy transparent tops, and sweatshirt dresses.
"The Sacai collection is undoubtedly a vanity project for Nike, but its premise — that female athletes prize style and appearance over functionality and performance — is completely tone-deaf," Megan Wiegand wrote for Slate.
Here's a closer look at one of the styles:
Sacai's founder, Chitose Abe, said she reinterpreted Nike's "heritage sportswear silhouettes" for the collection.
"The resulting eight-piece capsule collection seamlessly blends the iconic look of sport with a feminine and modern edge," the company says on its website.
Abe said the pieces are supposed to be functional.
"The idea of functionality is important to me, as is fabric innovation, which has always been at the heart of Sacai," Abe told Nike. "For me, Nike is an original icon with performance and innovation at its core. It has been inspiring to work together."
But the pieces don't look very functional for any kind of workout, whether yoga, running, or competitive sports.
Here's another look from the collection:
Women don't appear to be impressed by the new styles, calling them "ridiculous" and "horrifying" on social media.
“@miriamkrule: Nike's new women's athletic collection is horrifying: http://t.co/U4N5q5h8Ok pic.twitter.com/YEAXLJG35r” ya te veo @aleja_aleja
— XO (@XimenaOrdonez) March 20, 2015
Truly ridiculous "@miriamkrule: Nike's new women's athletic collection is horrifying: http://t.co/WSx4MWDvS4 pic.twitter.com/uXOZ7c0XhQ”
— Lea Hurt (@LeaHurt) March 20, 2015
Seriously, that Nike women's line is HIDEOUS. Women's athletic wear needs improving, but this is NOT an improvement. Capes? Dresses? WTF!
— CanadianChick (@SkepCdnChick) March 20, 2015
what even is this? RT @nevesytrof: Let us all divert ourselves today - Nike's idea of athletic garb for women. pic.twitter.com/UoodNXq3Tv
— Emily (@JoyfulAbode) March 20, 2015
Nike's new women's sportswear collaboration: Totally fine as long as we're not expected to actually work out in it. http://t.co/5GT61lQfzK
— Emily Henson (@lifeunstyled) March 20, 2015
Eek - Nike's new women’s collection is pretty insulting - http://t.co/hs6VOxkbJC via @slate
— Jenny Li Fowler (@thejennyli) March 20, 2015
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