- Nike launched its new Studio Fleece collection on July 30, 2026, fronted by Sha'Carri Richardson, Alysa Liu, Karina of aespa, and rapper Yeat, among other athletes and creatives.
- The women's line was developed using insight from over 300 women worldwide; pieces retail for $60–$95, with a men's companion line called Solo Fleece launching alongside it.
- Three of the four leads have very recent Nike history: Liu joined the roster in March 2026, Karina became Nike's first K-pop global ambassador in July 2025, and Richardson has been with the brand since 2019.
- The collection is available now online and at select wholesale partners in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with a global rollout planned for September.
Nike introduced its new Studio Fleece collection on July 30, 2026, tapping a roster that blends sport and pop culture: Sha’Carri Richardson, Alysa Liu, K-pop’s Karina, and rapper Yeat.
Basketball standout Jazzy Davidson, boxer Moses Itauma, and soccer siblings Lauren and Reece James round out the wider campaign.
Nike calls the line “the ultimate uniform for the everyday athlete.” It was shaped by insight from more than 300 women and spans hoodies, sweatshirts, sweatpants, and shorts.
Both Studio Fleece and its men’s counterpart, Solo Fleece, are live now online and at select retailers, with a global launch to follow in September.
Richardson, coming off her 2023 world title and 2024 Paris Olympic medals, said in a press release that the line is “super comfortable” and “looks good, kind of like myself.”
Beyond Nike, Richardson’s recent endorsement portfolio includes Beats by Dre, Sprite (she was the brand’s first female athlete ambassador), Android, and Olay. Her Nike relationship dates to 2019 and includes a prior turn fronting the Nike x Jacquemus “Le Swoosh” campaign.
Liu joined Nike’s athlete roster in March 2026, shortly after winning two golds at the Milano Cortina Olympics; the first American woman to take individual figure skating gold since 2002. Her other recent partnerships include Louis Vuitton, Sephora, and a Lucky Charms collaboration tied to her Olympic win.
Karina brings a different history to the project: in July 2025, she became the first K-pop idol named a Nike global ambassador, debuting the partnership in the brand’s Air Max Muse campaign.
Outside Nike, Karina serves as brand ambassador for Prada, YSL Beauty, MLB Korea, Converse Korea, and Gentle Monster.
Yeat’s Nike ties run through his frequent appearances alongside Drake‘s Nike-owned NOCTA label. He landed his first solo Nike collaboration, the Air Max Goadome boot, in October 2025.
The star-studded format echoes a run of similarly cross-cultural 2026 Nike rollouts, including Caitlin Clark debuting her signature Caitlin 1 colorway at the WNBA All-Star Game, Victor Wembanyama’s custom Nike Atelier Total 90 collection, and Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack-exclusive Nike ACG Moc “The Odyssey”.
Takeaways
Nike is clearly stretching its definition of “athlete.” Pairing a sprinter and an Olympic figure skater with a K-pop idol and a pluggnb rapper isn’t a stretch of the imagination anymore; it’s the strategy.
Three of the four faces here were signed within the last 13 months, which says a lot about how fast Nike now activates new talent across multiple product lines rather than waiting years to build a single campaign around them.
It also reflects a bigger industry pattern: sportswear brands increasingly compete for cultural relevance as much as performance credibility.
Does pairing athletes with musicians like Yeat and Karina expand Nike’s cultural reach? As K-pop idols and rappers headline sportswear campaigns, is the line between “athlete endorsement” and “celebrity endorsement” disappearing? What does Yeat’s slow build from NOCTA cameos to his own Nike collaborations suggest about how artist-brand relationships now form?
