Nike released a recent video campaign that featured female Middle Eastern athletes, entitling “What will they say about you?“. The video went viral in no time, and then Nike decided to take it further, to a more captivating level by announcing that it will be launching the Nike Pro Hijab, which finally gives all Hijabis a global representation for their athletic sportswear.
The garment will be made with a thin power mesh, and aims to offer a more breathable fabric. The pull-on hijab is made of light, stretchy fabric, using fluff threads to eliminate rubbing and irritation. It will come in three colors: black, grey and obsidian.
The Pro Hijab was designed in collaboration with several Muslim athletes including weightlifter Amna Al Haddad, and has been tested by Egyptian running coach Manal Rostom and Emirati figure skater Zahra Lari.
Following the announcement, Vogue Arabia spoke to the campaign’s stars, Zahra Lari and Manal Rostom, about how this launch points to a broader diversity in sports across the GCC region and the world, which proves how powerful this campaign is becoming.
Nike says that it hopes to inspire females in the Middle East who still face barriers to exercise. The Pro Hijab will be available starting spring 2018.