Nike
Atelier x Maria Sharapova
Celebrating Maria Sharapova’s legacy with a premium Nike Atelier installation at Nike House of Innovation New York.
Nike asked us to create an installation to celebrate Maria Sharapova’s Induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, where she would be dressed by Nike Atelier.
In 2006 Nike designed a “Little Black Dress” for Sharapova’s appearance at the US Open, and they revisited and updated the design for this significant moment.
Timed with the US Open and a visit from Nike’s CEO, the work needed to celebrate excellence and craft, celebrate the long-standing relationship with Maria Sharapova and create an impactful moment for Nike and tennis fans alike.Our concept focused on creating an installation that could showcase the dress as if it were a highly valuable museum artefact. We positioned Maria Sharapova at the centre of the installation, celebrating her style of play and the impact she has had on the game.
With 2.5 weeks from concept to delivery, we efficiently communicated our concept with the Nike team through quick sketches. We wanted to explore how the orbital approach could work alongside other minimal sculptural methods for showcasing tennis. This exploration includes testing various materials to align with Nike's shift toward softer textures.
Maria’s serve is iconic: a sculptural gesture of strength and grace. We built on that, positioning her at the centre of a symbolic orbit of stylised tennis balls, emphasising power and elegance in balance. This also reflected the fact that Maria wasn’t simply a player; she changed the game by drawing fashion, media, and global audiences into tennis.
We turned the installation into an event for Maria’s arrival with branded covers over the display cases and Nike-branded white gloves for the unveiling, adding a level of grandeur to the reveal.
Chrome and mirror finishes reflected the tailored, high-end nature of the project. The dress itself was encapsulated in a glass case, referencing museum-like exclusivity and underlining its rarity.
We were so proud of the whole team for pulling off such a great concept and design, in a short space of time, for such a significant moment for Nike and Sharapova.
Special thanks to The Bednark Team who delivered the production under exceptionally tight parameters, to such a high level.