Serena Williams, Nike to Select and Coach Unique Sportswear Design Collective
Serena Williams is looking for some new partners, but as a quick glance at a calendar would suggest, she isn't looking for someone to join her on the tennis court.
Williams, instead, is teaming with Nike to introduce the Serena Design Crew, a design collective of 10 individuals that will apprentice at Nike's world headquarters in Oregon for seven months, beginning in January 2020. The goal of the group will be to plan and create a collection of a Williams-inspired footwear, apparel and equipment.
"I feel like I would have died for this opportunity," Williams told B/R in a phone interview earlier this week. "I definitely would've signed up for it, and that's how I want people to feel. I want them to feel like this is such a cool experience to work with an amazing company and then work with me. I'm OK, I guess. But I feel like it'll be really interesting."
The process will kick off this weekend as Nike will host about 40 qualified designers for a combine where they will be presented with and asked to complete a design challenge. "What I hope comes out of the weekend … [for] those that choose to come to the combine is that they're excited about the possibilities of their career and the world of design … and they get exposure to some of the creative talent that we have at the company and beyond," John Hoke, Nike's chief design officer, told B/R. "I hope that they enjoy and savor the moment in that creativity is a great way to spend a career."
The presentations will be reviewed by Nike teams to determine a final group of 10 designers for the crew by November. While the program is open to all qualified applicants in the New York City area, Williams and Nike are focused on finding a diverse design demographic handworked with Harlem's Fashion Row design company, Portland's Pensole footwear academy and local community colleges and trade schools to identify promising applicants.
"The idea resulted from conversations with myself and Nike on how we can work together to increase diversity within Nike and in the overall industry," Williams said. "I feel like the design industry can definitely have more diversity. And Nike felt like the Serena Design Crew program and doing something like this and making this opportunity known to a broad range of applicants and elevating our efforts is a great way to showcase creative design."
Added Hoke: "It's a perfect storm, if you will. We've all been sort of thinking, How do we continue to create these moments for the next generation of designer? With Serena, I would call her, obviously, an amazing athlete, but she's also an advocate and she's also an artist. As an athlete, you know her accomplishments well. As an advocate, she's a great spokesperson for our company and beyond. She speaks eloquently about equality and wanting to create access for more people to participate. And in her own right, she's an artist. She's got a creative mind. She's got a great point of view."
Williams told B/R she would be involved in the selection process: "I really want them to let their designs show, but I also will be able to give feedback and just say, 'This is something that really doesn't speak to me' or 'This is something that really does speak to me. Keep down this path' or 'Try to change the path.'"
The apprentices will be offered competitive compensation and benefits during their participation in the program. The goal is to have the collection ready by Spring 2021, but the program's ultimate success will be judged by the number of individuals who choose a career in design, within Nike or across the wider industry.
"It's critical that we continuously look to build on the next generation of design talent for Nike," Hoke said. "It's a chance to engage with a world-class athlete in New York City, and having all qualified creative minds apply is super important to us. This notion of getting the best and brightest and looking for new places for creativity is critical to our success."
