In Summer 2015 Nike Sportswear and Liberty London released a women’s collection printed with Merlin, a geometric pattern first used on a Liberty silk scarf in 1972 and rarely seen since. The print ran across the Air Rift, Air Max Thea, Air Max 90 Ultra, Classic Cortez, Tennis Classic, and Zenji, plus a Windrunner, tees, and a cap. It launched at Liberty London on April 23, with the Air Rift following on May 4 and the rest on May 15. We made it internally, Nike Brand Design EMEA with Nike Sportswear, and Nike Brand Design briefed and creative directed the outside agencies.
Why it looks like this
An archive print on current shapes. Complex reported that Nike went deep into Liberty’s archives for Merlin, a print first used on a 1972 silk scarf and rarely seen since. Hypebeast described setting the geometric scarf design on heritage and current Nike silhouettes as the “intersection of the past and present.”
