Nike has launched new swimwear designed for athletes who wear a hijab. Through the new Nike Victory Swim Collection, women can choose from a full body swimsuit or individual pieces including a swimming hijab, a tunic top and leggings.
“Too often,” the company said in a statement, “swimwear represented a barrier, rather than a conduit to enjoying the water.”
The new line will be available for sale online starting Feb. 1, and at some retailers in California, New York City, London and Dubai, the company announced Tuesday.
“The more we listened, the more possibility we saw to serve female athletes in new dimensions,” Martha Moore, Nike Creative Director, said in a public statement. “We’re excited to inspire more women to see themselves in sport by thinking creatively and designing inclusively.”
The new line follows the launch of the Nike Pro Hijab in December 2017, an answer, the company says, to athlete’s trouble with finding a suitable hijab.
Zahra Lari, a figure skater from the United Arab Emirates, reviewed the new swimwear line for Nike. “It doesn’t weigh you down, and it helped me swim better,” she said. “It’s so different than any of the swimsuits I’ve ever seen, and I know I can wear this confidently.”
