Nike celebrates Indigenous culture and centres Native youth in new N7 Collection

Nike is introducing its latest N7 Collection, celebrating Indigenous culture and its interconnectedness with nature while helping preserve and showcase Native traditions for generations to come.

The collection features a suite of men's and women's apparel, as well as exclusive colourways of the Nike Dunk lifestyle sneaker and KD17 basketball shoe. Each of the pieces, while rooted in Native history, focus on the future and uplifting the next generation of Indigenous youth—reinforcing the self-expression and empowerment they demand and deserve.

To centre the next generation in this season's apparel collection, Nike partnered with young Indigenous artist Chelysa "Chief" Owens-Cyr, who brings together nature and modern culture in a contemporary take on Native art. A member of the Fort Peck tribes of northeastern Montana and Pasqua First Nations in Saskatchewan, Canada, Chief drew inspiration from traditional beadwork and ledger art, a Native narrative art form that uses the paper of ledger books as its main medium.

Those influences come to life in a men's Club Fleece, long-sleeve Drift T-shirt and DNA shorts, along with a women's Essential Mock long-sleeve top—all of which reflect Chief's home, culture, tribes and community.

The Club Fleece and Essential Mock top, for example, sport a mirrored, geometric design that reflects teachings from the Lakota people, who believe what is on earth is represented above in the afterlife: "As above, so below". The triangles at the centre of the design represent the four seasons and cardinal directions, as well as emotional, mental, physical and spiritual balance, and the horizontal extensions of the design represent the eagle, a significant figure in Native culture.

"I want Native youth to feel represented, strengthened and empowered by this collection, which takes inspirations from what you'd historically see in beadwork or other traditional wear and applies it to modern, contemporary clothing", Chief says. "It's a good representation of my people to be able to share my culture and voice with not only Indigenous communities, but the whole world. The Lakota term I'd connect with it is 'Mitákuye Oyás'iŋ', which means all my relations, we are all connected, we are one".

The KD17 basketball shoe—NBA icon Kevin Durant's fourth N7 model—features a turquoise colourway designed exclusively for this season's collection, as well as an embroidered N7 logo on the tongue and a geometric Lakota/Dakota design on the left heel that represents themes of ancestry, strength and culture. The Dunk Low sports the same turquoise colour, along with nods to N7 on the tongue.

Basketball player Alissa Pili is the face of this season's N7 campaign, reflecting Nike's commitment to uplifting Indigenous athletes and ensuring the next generation of Native youth see themselves represented.

The release of the collection and its campaign is timed with Native American Heritage Month and the opening of grant applications for Nike's N7 Fund.

Since 2022, Nike has invested $625,000 in N7 Fund grants annually, administered by CAF America, to non-profits that are powering the future of youth sport. This investment continues the brand's legacy of support for Indigenous communities through the N7 Fund and other grants, totalling $12.1 million to more than 300 organisations since 2009. 

Non-profit organisations can apply for N7 Fund grants until 6 January 2025.

This season's Nike N7 Collection is now available globally at Nike.com and select retail locations.