Fashion

Teyana Taylor Is The Face Of Jordan Brand's Debut Women's Apparel Collection

"When I see that Jumpman logo, all I can think of is I can fly"

by Maria Bobila

After announcing its commitment to expanding women's offerings in 2018, Jordan Brand launched a full women's apparel collection (the brand's first!) on Friday. The debut capsule range, modeled by Teyana Taylor, taps into the global sportswear label's heritage — basketball culture, streetwear, and its ongoing "Flight" theme — while also incorporating the modern-day woman's wardrobe desires: multi-purpose, athleisure-leaning, fashion-conscious clothing.

"When I see that Jumpman logo, all I can think of is I can fly," says Taylor on what the 35-year-old brand means to her. "It inspires you. You've just got to keep going and you've got to shoot your shot and slam dunk that shit."

Since Jordan Brand set out to expand upon women's apparel, a category that has garnered triple-digit growth last year, the team traveled across the globe to learn more about the needs of its customers. "We needed to be in conversation with consumers," Andrea Perez, Jordan Brand Women's global vice president and general manager, tells NYLON. "We gathered insight from the team — designers, product development, product management — and all over the world from L.A. to Shanghai and Manila. You name it, we've been there."

"We knew that the hunger was there, but we wanted to make sure we walked before we could run," adds Michelle Walter, design director of apparel. While Jordan Brand has released apparel for women in the past, Spring 2020 marks its first full range of clothing made specifically for them. Inspired by the first female space commander in flight, the collection focuses on utilitarian details, a result of the insights gathered from Walter and her team's research. The Utility Pant, priced at $120, boasts multiple pockets, a feature created in response to the customer's desire to forgo a handbag. The Flight Suit, $180, is a 2020-era riff on the popular '80s design, which comes in a jumpsuit style featuring adjustable details to either cinch or wear loose.

Jordan Brand Women's Flight SuitPhoto Courtesy of Jordan Brand

The rest of the collection, which starts at $50 for a crop top, is available in both straight and plus sizes, and also includes fleece pants, fleece hoodies, bodysuits, leggings, reversible bomber jackets, and, of course, T-shirts. Plus, Jordan Brand is debuting the first iteration of its Jordan Air Max 200 XX ($125) for women — a style that can be worn during the day and at night, with socks or without, according to Footwear Design Director Louisa Page — along with the comeback of its first-ever Air Jordan OG ($140), which returns more than two decades after it first launched.

See more photos of Jordan Brand Women's first apparel collection, below. The new launch will be available on Jordan.com on Feb. 14, as well as select retailers on Feb. 1, including Kith, Ssense, and Dover Street Market in New York and Los Angeles.

Teyana Taylor for Jordan Brand Women's first-ever apparel collectionPhoto Courtesy of Jordan Brand
Jordan Brand Women's first-ever apparel collectionPhoto Courtesy of Jordan Brand
Jordan Brand Women's first-ever apparel collectionPhoto Courtesy of Jordan Brand
Jordan Brand Women's first-ever apparel collectionPhoto Courtesy of Jordan Brand
Jordan Brand Women's first-ever apparel collectionPhoto Courtesy of Jordan Brand
Jordan Brand Women's first-ever apparel collectionPhoto Courtesy of Jordan Brand