Martine Rose’s mega Nike collaboration was the highlight of London Fashion Week – GQ
Mon 13 Jun
London-based designer Martine Rose has long been a fan of Nike, having used the US brand’s sneakers to complete her runway looks as far back as 2018. It was in 2019 that Rose and Nike kickstarted their official working relationship – then the designer and the sportswear giant unveiled a distorted take on Nike’s Air Monarch IV sneaker. The silhouette, which was originally released in the 2000s, is recognised for its chunky construction, comprising padded insoles and thick leather outers and Rose’s take on the sneakers was by-and-large not dissimilar to the original design save for the inclusion of bulbous, bunion-like detailing across the shoe. At the time the brand with the Swoosh described the partnership as “the best collaboration in the world.” The sneakers sold out instantly.
Rose, who has worked in the industry since 2007 with her own brand and in a past tenure at Balençiaga, partnered with Nike again in 2021. This time round it wasn’t footwear at the centre of the collaboration – instead, Rose was enlisted to reinvent the England football team’s jersey. Rose’s shirt sat within a project titled “The Lost Lionesses” and was inspired by a group of 14 English women who travelled to Mexico City in 1971 to play in an international football tournament, despite critics at the time saying women shouldn’t play football. The inside-out and intentionally-oversized kit featured the OG 1971 women’s crest, taking the form of three lions stacked within a Tudor rose, while the designer added her initials and “Engineered to the exact specifications of Martine Rose” wording.