• Loading stock data...
Saturday, July 5, 2025

Nike Makes First Foray into Maternity Wear

  • The sportswear giant is launching “Nike (M)” in September.
  • Last year, Nike faced criticism for its pregnancy policies for athlete signees.
Nike Makes First Foray into Maternity Wear
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Nike is launching its first dedicated maternity line amid a larger boom in the athleticwear category likely due to conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The collection, called “Nike (M),” will “support women during all stages of pregnancy and beyond,” the company said in an announcement that featured testimonies from some of its top athlete signees who are also mothers, including U.S. women’s national soccer team player Alex Morgan.

The line launches on Sept. 17, and notably comes a year-and-a-half after the company came under fire after several high-profile female athletes, including runner Allyson Felix, publicly criticized its policies around pregnancy. Felix left the sportswear giant and instead signed with Gap-owned brand Athleta — Nike changed its policies shortly thereafter. 

Nike says it designed the new line by “combing through pregnancy data findings with analytics from more than 150,000 comparison scans of non-pregnant women against those of pregnant women,” and gathering feedback from around 30 female athletes who were pregnant or postpartum.

“The more we listened to expecting mothers and postpartum mothers, the more we learned, reworked and innovated through inclusive design,” Carmen Zolman, a Nike senior design director, said. “It’s the project of a lifetime to work in lockstep with all kinds of mothers to bring to life a capsule that truly supports women’s relationship with sport during such a transformative time in their lives.”

The capsule collection, developed over three years, includes four pieces: the Nike (M) Pullover, the Nike (M) Swoosh Bra, the Nike (M) Tank and Nike One (M) Tight. All of the pieces have maternity-specific functions, like easy access for nursing. It’s designed with sustainable materials — the pieces range from 78 to 88% recycled polyester.

“It’s like skin: it’ll just shrink back. It grows with you. It decreased in size with you,” golfer and Nike athlete Michelle Wie West, who had her first child in June, said in the announcement.   

The athleticwear category, generally, has seen a boost attributed to the increased focus on health and fitness activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Nike reported that its online sales were up 75% in the quarter ending in May, though it reported year-over-year revenue loss of 38%, citing the closure of the majority of its stories during the timeframe. Adidas reported that despite a 35% drop in revenue in its quarter ending in June, its online sales were up 93%.

Further, in a survey conducted by the company, Adidas found that about 50% of 18 to 34-year-olds plan to exercise more as a result of the pandemic, and about 75% of surveyed companies plan to shift their employees to remote full-time even after the pandemic. The first finding signals a potential boost to fitness-specific gear and apparel, and the second, a boost to athleisure wear. 

Retailer Dick’s Sporting Goods reported a 194% increase in online sales during its third quarter, bolstered by substantial growth in the apparel and footwear categories.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

A Lululemon store at Freehold Raceway Mall in Freehold Township, New Jersey on Nov. 30, 2023

Sportswear Stocks Rise as Trump Touts Vietnam Trade Deal

Tariffs on Vietnam imports will be 20%, down from a prior threat of 46%.
From vintage to unique collaborations, various Nike and Jordan shoes are displayed on a wall at Saved Soles inside West Ridge Mall.

Nike Stumbles Less Than Expected, Giving Wall Street Hope

The sports apparel and footwear giant beats Wall Street expectations.
Faith Kipyegon

Nike’s Sub-4:00 Stunt Falls Short With Fastest Women’s Mile Ever

Male pacers and cutting-edge tech helped Kipyegon shave off one second.

Featured Today

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
July 4, 2025

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.
July 3, 2025

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”
June 29, 2025

The Battle Over Wimbledon’s Ambitious Expansion Plan

A classic NIMBY standoff on one of the most hallowed grounds in sports.
Jun 20, 2024; Eugene, OR, USA; Detailed view of Nike Alphafly 3 racing flat at the Nike by Eugene store.

Investors Hunt for Signs Nike Has Regained Its Footing

Nike’s fundamentals are “still challenged.”
June 13, 2025

U.S. Open Merch Pops Thanks to Oakmont’s Squirrel, Viral TikToks

There are more than 400,000 pieces of merchandise available at Oakmont.
Jun 15, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; JJ Spaun putts on the 18th green to win during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament.
June 16, 2025

‘Pandemonium’: Putter Maker Sees Sales Surge After JJ Spaun’s U.S. Open Win

The company behind Spaun’s putter is already in talks with his people.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
Tom's Watch Bar
June 12, 2025

How the Pacers and Caitlin Clark Boosted One Bar’s Bottom Line

Tom’s Watch Bar hosted John Haliburton for at least five games.
June 12, 2025

U.S. Open Cashing In on Signature Cocktail Trend With Lemon Wedge

Last year, the whiskey cocktail was served more than 50,000 times.
Nike store
June 5, 2025

Which Sportswear Retailers Are Best Positioned to Raise Prices?

Why On can more easily raise prices than Nike.
Mar 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Sneakers worn by New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during warmups prior to the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Madison Square Garden.
May 21, 2025

Nike to Raise Prices on Sneakers Above $100

Kids products and Air Force 1s won’t be affected.