Nike athlete and professional fencer, Ibtihaj Muhammad wearing the Nike Pro Hijab. Courtesy of Nike
The Nike Pro Hijab has been announced as this year’s Beazley Fashion Design of the Year. The performance headscarf was up against Kanye West’s Life of Pablo, and Aitor Throup’s The Rite of Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter menswear show, and that politically-charged pink knitted hat. The Pro Hijab succeeds Ikea’s flatpack refugee shelter, which won the presigious Design of the Year Award in 2016.
Ultra-breathable and lightweight, the Nike Pro Hijab – which was launched in December and revealed first on Vogue.me – was dreamed up by a team of Nike Pro designers and tried-and-tested on various athletes, including fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, Emirati figure skater Zahra Lari, and Egyptian Nike Run Club coach Manal Rostom. The result was a single-layer stretchy high-performance headscarf that could change the face of sport for Muslim women. “When I tried the Nike Pro Hijab, it really sunk in how much my previous hijab was hindering my performance,” Muhammad told Vogue. “Suddenly, I could hear, I wasn’t as hot, and my body was able to cool itself down better and faster.” Echoing her statement, Egyptian Nike Run Club coach Manal Rostom says, “It inspires me to reach greater heights and to run farther distances, and I believe it’s going to inspire girls worldwide to follow their passion for sport.”
Boxer Zeina Nassar wearing the Nike Pro Hijab. Courtesy of Nike
Over 60 global designs and products were nominated across six different categories— fashion, architecture, digital, graphics, product, and transport— before an overall winner was chosen. The six category winners along with the further 56 other nominations are on display at the Design Museum until February 18.
See the full list of the winners below.
Beazley Design of the Year Overall Winner
The National Museum of African American History and Culture
Beazley Architecture Design of the Year
The National Museum of African American History and Culture
Beazley Graphic Design of the Year
‘Fractured Lands’, New York Times Magazine
Beazley Product Design of the Year
AIR-INK
Beazley Fashion Design of the Year
Nike Pro Hijab
Beazley Transport Design of the Year
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