It’s no secret that, whether it’s on the field or at home, Nike is dedicated to serving athletes who channel their passion, energy, and focus into every part of life. Their latest Nike 24.7 apparel collection is designed to keep pace, offering performance-driven style for any moment of the day. One of the people in charge of ensuring athlete’s day-to-day needs are met in their clothing is Jackie Safley, the Global GM of Women’s Training at Nike. “Nike Training is dedicated to supporting all athletes to be better — whether for sport or life,” says Safley. “The Nike 24.7 collection embodies this commitment, delivering unmatched innovation with performance materials, ultimate comfort and an elevated fit thoughtfully crafted for every body and every move.”
This groundbreaking collection redefines the boundaries between sport and lifestyle, delivering a polished, elevated look without compromising on comfort or functionality. It’s designed to support the athlete’s full lifestyle, offering versatile, distraction-free apparel that transitions effortlessly from the gym to the street and everywhere in between.
Ahead of the launch of Nike 24.7, Schön! sat down with Jackie Safley to discuss crafting the new collection, working with athletes, and more.
How would you describe your role within the company?
It’s an absolute privilege to lead this team. Every day, we’re obsessing over the needs of female athletes. Within our specific focus, we concentrate on women’s training, particularly footwear and apparel that helps her work out. We look at three facets of women’s training: mindfulness and mindset, movement (from low to high intensity), and recovery. Functionally, we aim to create the best products, as well as services and experiences, that we can package up and share with our consumers.
You’ve been with Nike for 10 years, so I imagine your role has evolved, especially recently. I was curious about the development process for products like Nike 24.7. How long have these been in the planning stages, and how did they come about?
Everything we do starts and ends with the voice of the athlete. Over the past few years, we’ve heard from athletes that they no longer see a separation between sport and life. You saw this at the Olympics, where athletes expressed themselves fully, both on and off the pitch, through their style and performance. They don’t stop being athletes when they leave the track, and we wanted to reflect that reality. This led us to think about how we could create collections that seamlessly transition between sport and life.
This has been years in the making, starting with athlete insights and collaborating with our Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL). For example, Nike Form went through years of testing, analytics, and research to perfect innovations like sweat concealment—a universal need for women, whether during intense workouts or everyday life. I’m wearing Nike Form today, and the ability to not show sweat is incredible. Some innovations, like this, take years to develop. Once ready, we look at how to incorporate them into collections in ways that best serve our athletes and consumers.
How has our understanding of women’s needs changed? Has it been a rapid shift in recent years, or has it always been there?
Nike has a long history of innovating for women—it’s been core to our brand for over 50 years. That said, the broader industry is now starting to recognize the specific needs of female athletes. Internally, our approach hasn’t changed much because we’ve been doing this for decades. But externally, there’s more awareness and acceptance of products, services, and experiences designed to meet women’s specific needs.
What’s been the most exciting or important moment for women in sports this year?
There are so many! I’ll highlight two.
First, the Olympics this summer was a turning point in how the world views female athletes. Dina mentioned this yesterday—there was a time when female athletes were boxed in, seen only as influencing the sport itself, not beyond it. This year, we saw female athletes express their full selves—femininity, strength, and individuality—both on and off the track. Athletes like Dina and Sha’Carri showed that you can bring full glam to the pitch and still deliver pinnacle performance.
Second, Caitlin Clark being named Time Athlete of the Year was monumental. It reflects the momentum in women’s sports, especially basketball. The WNBA is now the fastest-growing sports brand, and Caitlin played a huge role in that. What’s notable is she was recognized as the greatest athlete—not the greatest female athlete—showing how perceptions are evolving.
Do you have a personal favourite piece from the new collections?
Yes! I’ve been lucky to get samples for media events, and I’ve continued wearing them. I love the Nike 24.7 collection. Everyday innovation, like perfect stretch and wrinkle resistance, is such a game-changer—especially for a new mom like me. These pieces merge sports heritage with refined details, like pleating and ladder trim, creating a polished yet sporty look. Some standouts for me are the pleated skirt and the woven top — it feels like butter and looks classic.