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.”
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In the toile print of the NikeCourt men’s tennis polo, Nike cues are hidden throughout the vignettes (check out the shoes), many of which are inspired by the world headquarters in the Pacific Northwest.
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.
Borna Ćorić wears the NikeCourt men's tennis polo.
The floral print blends peonies and roses.
Simona Halep wears the NikeCourt women's tennis top.
The stylized bee print adds a touch of royalty.
The NikeCourt Paris collection releases May 20 on nike.com and at select retailers.