gone cray

Some goals seem out of reach until someone dares to try. For Faith Kipyegon, that dare is a moonshot — bold, improbable, and history-making. This summer, the Kenyan champion and world record holder will attempt to do what no woman has ever done: run a mile in under four minutes. Backed by Nike in a campaign fittingly named Breaking4, Kipyegon’s pursuit isn’t just about chasing a time. Instead, it’s about breaking through a barrier long considered impossible.

“I’m a three-time Olympic champion. I’ve achieved World Championship titles. I thought, What else? Why not dream outside the box?” states Kipyegon. “And I told myself, ‘If you believe in yourself, and your team believes in you, you can do it.’” Kipyegon, who is a Kenya native and mother to a young daughter, will have to surpass her current world record of 4:07.64 by at least 7.65 seconds. It is a monumental task that would require nearly two seconds faster per lap. No woman has ever come closer and no challenge looms larger in middle-distance running.

Thankfully, Kipyegon isn’t chasing this alone. Nike, her longstanding partner of 16 years, is mobilising every tool in its arsenal to support her journey — from footwear innovation and aerodynamics to physiology, apparel design, and psychological readiness. The date and location, which is June 26 at Stade Charléty in Paris, have been carefully chosen to align with her peak performance window.

The mile is more than just a race. For decades, it has represented the outer edge of human performance that was first shattered by Roger Bannister in 1954 and immortalised in athletic lore ever since. But while hundreds of men have joined the sub-four-minute club, no woman ever has. Kipyegon’s decision to pursue this feat stems not from necessity, but from ambition. “I want this attempt to say to women, ‘You can dream and make your dreams valid,’” she says. Already the most decorated woman in her discipline, she’s choosing to chase something that’s never been done — not to prove herself, but to expand the horizon for every woman who follows. “This is the way to go as women, to push boundaries and dream big.”

Her effort stands as a call to athletes of all backgrounds to take risks, reimagine possibility, and believe in their power to shape history. The moment isn’t just personal; it’s generational. Aptly, her daughter will be there at the finish line, representing both her inspiration and the legacy she hopes to pass forward. “This is the way to go as women, to push boundaries and dream big,” she explains.

It’s a belief that Elliott Hill, President & CEO, NIKE, Inc., is in total agreement with. “Faith is a once-in-a-generation talent, and her audacious goal is exactly what Nike stands for,” says Hill“Breaking4 is the kind of bold dream we will do everything in our power to make real — helping both elite and everyday athletes to believe anything is possible. No other brand can offer the level of expertise, innovation and support that our Nike teams can. Alongside Faith, our innovators are breaking barriers by combining cutting-edge sport science with revolutionary footwear and apparel innovation to help her achieve a truly historic goal.”

Nike’s investment in Breaking4 extends beyond the athlete. It speaks to the brand’s identity — born from runners, built to empower them, and rooted in breaking down limits. From their earliest innovations to defining moments like Joan Benoit Samuelson’s marathon gold in 1984 and Kipchoge’s Breaking2 achievement, Nike has continually pushed the envelope. “Advanced innovation at Nike is driven by a deep commitment to partnering with athletes like Faith, turning dreams into dares and dares into destiny,” says John Hoke, Chief Innovation Officer. “This courageous attempt at breaking a monumental boundary embodies the alchemy of art, science and athlete, resetting ambitions and amplifying impact. Together with athletes, we approach problems systemically, creatively and parametrically — no problem too large, no detail too small. As always, we stand in awe of helping athletes achieve greatness.”

It’s a sentiment that Tanya Hvizdak, VP of Global Sports Marketing also believes in. “For more than 50 years, Nike has made athletes’ dreams real by helping them redefine barriers and achieve the impossible,” explains Hvizdak. “Faith epitomizes everything we love about sport and the belief we have in our athletes. Her moonshot continues our legacy of supporting bold, pioneering pursuits that move the world forward through the power of sport.”

Although this attempt may not be officially ratified — details around pacers, footwear, and race format are still being finalised — the goal remains clear: set the stage for possibility, not perfection. And whether Kipyegon crosses the line in under four minutes or simply comes closer than anyone in history, one thing is certain: she will have already succeeded in redefining what women in sports can dare to dream.

Learn more at Nike.com.

full look. CHANEL

full look. CHANEL

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Credits

“The world is little, people are little, human life is little. There is only one big thing – desire.” Willa Cather

When looking for inspiration for 48th issue, there was an aspect of creativity which we realised we rarely look at: the initial spark. What moves us, what inspires us and what pushes us to act? At the heart of it all is desire. It’s the inspiration that compels us to create; that sensation of longing for something, the idea which is at the inception of it all. That, dear readers, was the starting point to our issue – the dynamic energy behind all our greatest actions in life.

Desire can be interpreted in multiple ways, as we learnt when we asked our collaborators to embody and represent what the act of desiring was for them. It’s a philosophical question that opens us up to the multiplicity of experiences of human life. From mind and creativity to body and beauty, from concrete IRL love to spiritual longing: desire moves us in many ways.

We start with cover star Emma Myers, captured by Cameron Postforoosh in CHANEL. An example that dreams really can come true, Myers tells us how her childhood obsessions were realised, from working with hero Jack Black and starring in ‘A Minecraft Movie’ to being immortalised as a LEGO mini figure. Meanwhile, model and content creator Calum Harper is soon set to achieve his childhood ambition of becoming an actor, and Stephanie Suganami shares her excitement about her first feature film ‘Opus’.

Accomplished actor Jason Isaacs recounts how he coveted a role in ‘The White Lotus’ and why “having an interesting time at work”, such as in his latest film ‘The Salt Path’, is more important to him than career goals. The desire to weave stories seems to be a common theme; Alicia Von Rittberg entrances in Fendi, as she contemplates her character’s true motivations in ‘Dinner for Five – Killer for One’. Wunmi Mosaku stuns in Pandora, while telling us why discovering new characters, worlds and genres motivates her, including horror film ‘Sinners’. Meanwhile, Zoë Bleu Sidel talks us through making Luc Besson’s ‘Dracula: A Love Tale’ and why it’s less about horror than about a love and longing that transcends lifetimes.

But weaving stories spills into many disciplines. Actor, artist and musician Booboo Stewart explains how art addresses his yearning for greater self-understanding. Kelly McCormack longs for a way back to the truth, which she finds through music. She also tells us what drew her to her new film ‘Sorry, Baby’. Michael Cimino wants to up his game and resonate with audiences through his upcoming music and screen projects “Until Dawn” and “Motorheads”.

Dressed in Louis Vuitton, recording artist, DJ and producer Badchieff tells us how he explores themes of desire and loss. Summer Walker reveals why she’s ready to start a fresh chapter and explore new themes and genres in her music. Both talk us through their new albums.

The multi-faceted Jameela Jamil aims to put “uplifting and positive content out into the world” with movies such as Pixar’s ‘Elio’, while staying true to herself and embracing her imperfections. On the set of a Miu Miu special, author, entrepreneur and sustainability advocate Kiara Nirghin shares why she strives for a future where technology and AI are used for the greater good.

Fashion and desire have long gone hand in hand. In Paris, we shoot the H&M Studio Resort Capsule Collection against the iconic skyline and explore the dynamic energy of movement with the Fall 2025 Collection’s Lifestyle Capsule from Dior Men. In Milan, meanwhile, we enter an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ style universe, with the DEDAR Milano x Westwing collection.

Falling in love with life, exploring new dreams, letting yourself be inspired, opening yourself up to new possibilities; these are just some of the sensations we’d like to conjure within these pages. We hope you’re as inspired as we were making this issue.

Get your print copy of Schön! 48 at Amazon Globally, Amazon Germany, Amazon France, Amazon Italy, Amazon Spain, Amazon Netherlands, Amazon Poland, Amazon Belgium, Amazon Sweden and the UK Schön! store.

Download your favourite cover now at the Schön! store.

This Schön! 48 cover story is produced by

photography. Cameron Postforoosh
fashion. Zoe Gofman
talent. Emma Myers wearing CHANEL
casting. Alabama Blonde @ Strike the Blonde Casting
hair. Jacob Rozenberg @ A-Frame Agency using Oribe
make up. Stoj @ The Wall Group using NARS
photography assistant. Bogdan Kwiatkowski + Evy Sophia
production. Clara La Rosa
location. The Atrium NYC
words. Estefania Hageman

shirt + skirt. COS
opposite
dress. Sudi Etuz

shirt + skirt. COS
opposite
dress. Sudi Etuz

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Credits

In this renewal-inspired editorial, Schön! celebrates transformation, strength, and empowerment. The “shedding skin” motif symbolizes letting go of the old and embracing a bold, unapologetic self within. Photographed by Cengizhan Ergün with videography by Çağla Polat and Burak Bacacı. Creative direction for the editorial is by İrem Derya Kaplan who also styles Eva Varlamova in looks by Burberry, H&M Edition, Sudi Etuz, and others. Hair by stylist Diyar Şekel with make up by Birce Selçik.

full look. Sudi Etuz
shoes. H&M Edition
gloves. Eli Peacock
opposite
full look. Burberry

full look. Sudi Etuz
shoes. H&M Edition
gloves. Eli Peacock
opposite
full look. Burberry

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Credits

dress. H&M Edition
leggings. Calzedonia
opposite
full look. Maje

dress. H&M Edition
leggings. Calzedonia
opposite
full look. Maje

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Credits

full look. Burberry
opposite
dress. Sudi Etuz

full look. Burberry
opposite
dress. Sudi Etuz

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Credits

full look. Sudi Etuz
shoes. H&M Edition
gloves. Eli Peacock
opposite
dress. The Kooples
shoes. COS

full look. Sudi Etuz
shoes. H&M Edition
gloves. Eli Peacock
opposite
dress. The Kooples
shoes. COS

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Credits

full look. Burberry
opposite
full look. Burberry

full look. Burberry
opposite
full look. Burberry

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Credits

dress. H&M Edition
leggings. Calzedonia
opposite
jacket + skirt. H&M Edition
shirt. Maje

dress. H&M Edition
leggings. Calzedonia
opposite
jacket + skirt. H&M Edition
shirt. Maje

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Credits

This Schön! editorial has been produced by

photography. Cengizhan Ergün
creative direction + fashion. İrem Derya Kaplan
talent. Eva Varlamova @ Tanks Management
hair. Diyar Şekel
make up. Birce Selçik
videography. Çağla Polat + Burak Bacacı
production agency. C2 Production & Studio
producer. Mustafa Caner
colorist. Didem Yılmazer
photography assistant. Bedirhan Topçu
fashion assistant. Tuana Sofuoğlu
production asisstant. Sabri Çolak