FASHION.HYPE: NIKE SHOWCASE SKATEBOARDING KIT FOR 2020 OLYMPICS

ICYMI: Skateboarding will be included in the 2020 Olympics in Japan for the first time. And what’s possibly more exciting than the news of the sport being recognised, is the idea of the uniforms. Last night Nike kick-started New York Fashion Week two days early by showcasing the uniforms it has designed for this summer’s Tokyo Olympic Games. Hosting the show at Hudson’s Yard, the event was attended by Virgil Abloh, Simon Porte Jacquemus and Drake, as well as some of the biggest stars of the sporting industry. The brand has created uniforms for the French, Brazilian and USA skate teams in partnership with Dutch artist and ex-skateboarder, Piet Parra. A regular collaborator with Nike, Parra’s signature colourways and fluid prints have been incorporated in three distinct designs to represent each country's sporting history and culture.

The USA jersey is inspired by basketball and features a bald eagle on the left side in blue and red. Brazil’s jersey has taken note from its football culture with a T-shirt style that depicts Rio’s famous Sugarloaf Mountain across the chest in the vibrant green, yellow and white hues of the Brazilian flag. It also features a toucan bird, which is a common bird of paradise in the country’s rainforest. For France, Nike has drawn on French tennis heritage, offering an off white tennis jersey with a red rooster on the left chest. What’s more, as this year’s Olympic Games is set to be the hottest on record, so Nike has worked on making fabrics especially breathable and lightweight, and for the first time ever, has created a collection that is made entirely of recycled fabrics.