SWDC x Nike Cortez Collection Continues Serena’s Design Legacy

The Serena Williams Design Crew has never been about surface-level storytelling. Built as a pipeline for diverse, female-led talent inside Nike, the initiative operates with a clear mantra: create with purpose, challenge convention, and design for impact. Since its inception, the Serena Williams Design Crew has served as both an incubator and an amplifier, giving emerging designers the opportunity to shape products through lived experience and cultural perspective.

Now, that ethos returns through the SWDC x Nike Cortez collection.

The SWDC x Nike Cortez project revisits one of Nike’s most iconic silhouettes through a lens of restraint and refinement. Rather than overhaul the classic runner, the Serena Williams Design Crew leans into material play and subtle detailing to make its mark. Premium leather uppers arrive in muted, versatile palettes, balancing dark green and cream tones on one pair and soft off-white and black on another.

While the overall aesthetic remains understated, the execution tells a deeper story. Textural contrasts define the upper—from pebbled Swooshes with raw, zigzag edging to layered lace systems and metallic bow-shaped lace charms that add a jewelry-like accent. The detailing feels deliberate, elevating the Cortez without overpowering its heritage shape.

Inside, a volt insole stamped with Serena’s “SW” logo delivers the boldest visual cue. It’s a subtle but powerful reminder of authorship — a flash of identity hidden beneath an otherwise composed exterior. The SWDC x Nike Cortez collection proves that female-led design doesn’t need to shout to be impactful; it can speak through craft, proportion, and intentional embellishment.

By reinterpreting the Cortez through this thoughtful approach, the Serena Williams Design Crew continues to redefine how women shape product at Nike — not as collaborators on the sidelines, but as drivers of design language itself.

The SWDC x Nike Cortez collection is expected to release before Summer 2026 concludes. Official dates have not yet been announced.

Stay tuned for updates via our new House of Heat° mobile app.