The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is officially underway, and the U.S. Women’s National Team already has one win under their belt. The team beat Vietnam 3-0 in the opener group stage game. Next up, the USWNT takes on the Netherlands on Wednesday.
For their uniforms, the USWNT and Nike partnered on multiple looks for their World Cup appearance. To start, the team could be seen in their white home jerseys featuring a bespoke drip paint technique pattern, where every single kit is unique. The jersey, which can be seen paired with blue shorts and white socks, also features distinctive gold branding as a nod to the team being the four-time World Cup champions.
Inspiration behind the designs came from the abstract expressionism art movement that started in the 1940s in New York.
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For their away uniform, the all blue patriotic look is detailed with bespoke stars and stripe print on the sleeve cuffs and a neckline that also features red blades, formed to look like the tip of stars.
In addition, there is a custom USA “signature” and is a nod to abstract expressionism, where each artist would sign their painting. And on the inner part of the jersey is also a call out to the USWNT’s four Women’s World Cup championships in 1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019.
The look is a more sustainable upgrade from their 2019 uniforms. It’s made of 100% recycled polyester from recycled plastic bottles, utilizing less material, for instance. The USWNT crests, Swoosh and trims on the uniforms are also made of 100% Nike Grind for the first time in a Nike kit on this stage. Nike Grind is a collection of recycled materials from Nike pre-consumer manufacturing scraps, recycled post-consumer shoes from the Reuse-A-Shoe program and unsellable footwear.
Nike and the USWNT then teamed up ahead of opening game of the World Cup in a now viral look. When the players stepped off the bus for their first match last week, they could all be seen wearing the Nike x Martine Rose player’s suit, jacket, shirt and Shox Mule MR 4 shoes.
The unexpected fashion moment signified style but also camaraderie, equality and positive change for women’s sports. The genderless ensemble includes a suit jacket, trouser, trench and shirt as well as stockings, gloves and sunglasses.
“When a woman wears a suit, it expresses strength, resilience and beauty,” Rose said in a statement. “I want women to feel powerful in their suits like men do. More than that, although I’m using women to tell the story, there’s no gender attached to the suit. Anyone can wear it. I hope one day we’re not talking about gender in sport and are just talking about the sport. Once everything is stripped back, it’s just the game that’s left.”
Rose took inspiration from soccer when it came to the upcoming launch of the the Nike x Martine Rose Shox Mule MR 4, too. The shoes were designed in a blue and purple and orange gradient colorways as a nod to the bright goalkeeper jerseys from the ’90s.
The collection will be available exclusively on Martine-Rose.com today and on Nike’s SNKRS app and at select specialty stores om July 27.
