In honour of Nike’s 50th anniversary, the brand is creating an immersive experience like no other and focusing on the future and female empowerment. Customers will be able to enter the world of Nike and surf through their archives to see prominent moments in the activewear giant’s history.
They focus on four key elements which played an important role in the last 5 decades, with Joan Benoit Samuelson’s story being the very first of the series. Joan Benoit Samuelson was the first woman to win a gold medal during the 1984 summer Olympic marathon in Los Angeles, California. She held the record of being the fastest American woman at the Chicago Marathon for 32 years.
Not only was Nike one of the first brands that celebrated the Olympic Committee finally approving the inclusion of women in 1984, but they were also one of *the very first* brands to connect to the female athlete, creating a range of women’s sports footwear and clothing.
This is how Egyptian Clothing Designer Engy Mahdy and Nike teamed up…
Similar to how the brand highlighted women and championed female empowerment in the past, now is no different for the retailer. To celebrate its anniversary, the brand has partnered with 29-year-old Egyptian clothing designer, Engy Mahdy. The creative has designed a one-off pair of kicks, specifically choosing the Nike Vaporfly, because “running changed her life.”
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Whether it’s horse jumping, horse riding, or going on her usual run, Engy Mahdy stresses to both Nike and Cosmo ME how the sports affect her mentally (in the best way). “I use this time to unpack my day in my head, unravel everything – I think a lot while running. On the other hand, when I ride, I can’t listen to my thoughts at all, there’s a lot to focus on when riding…”
Engy’s chosen running shoe style reminds her of when she first began running a year ago, changing her life, and motivating her to “always move up and ahead.”
When asked about what the next 50 years should look like for Nike, she describes the brand as “innovation at its peak. Throughout my time as a designer, I have always appreciated the textiles used at Nike and the support it gives to whatever kind of athlete. Nike has always kept the athlete at the center of the brand from the first running shoe ever made till now. I think in the next 50 years we will obviously see innovation, but more importantly, in a world that is moving at such high speed, we will still see Nike connecting to people, athletes, and their needs.”
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Engy surely brings her creative touch to the partnership with the activewear giant, and we for one, are both excited (and proud) to see what other Arab women Nike highlight next.
If you’re passing by Dubai Mall at one point this week, why not head to their flagship store to ~really~ experience the activation as a whole, they’ve also got 3 other partnerships in place to provide help and advice for diets and nutrition, high intensity training an array of Pilates workshops.
For more information, click here.