A 2023 CFDA Fashion Fund finalist and beloved by style editors and It Girls like Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner, Sami Miro has been a bit of an IYKYK secret weapon among fashion nerds, and now her work is set to captivate sports fans around the world.
Milo, a designer whose eponymous label sources and repurposes deadstock and vintage fabrics, was tapped to create custom pieces for Nike, his first collaboration with a sports brand: He was tasked with creating jackets for the five gymnasts who qualified for the 2024 Games at the Minneapolis trials in June.
In a photo of an early prototype that Miro shared on Instagram, her handwriting can be seen in the top right corner: “Detachable Wings.” In the photo, a hoodie-wearing model drapes a shawl-like, fluffy white material over her shoulders that arches like open wings, with curves and extensions from the top, middle, and bottom of the “wings” to complete the shape. Next to it, Miro wrote, “Wired open seams.”
The idea for the jacket design was inspired by Nike, Milo told me over Zoom a few days before the trials—not the brand, she clarified, but its namesake: “Nike is the Greek goddess of victory,” she told me. “So I studied and understood her extensively and wanted to use the strengths of gymnasts to create something that symbolizes all of their greatness.”
Courtesy of Nike
Sami Miro is considering possible designs for gymnast jackets.
During her research, she came across countless incredible images, but the one that stood out to her most was a painting of Nike with her toga billowing in the wind. “It was so epic, so special. To me, it meant that she was even more powerful than she already was because of her clothes.”
She wanted to create clothes for her gymnasts that had that kind of energy: “They’re already incredible! Their work ethic, their strength, and their mental ability! Everything they can do is out of this world.” The clothes had to symbolize their greatness, she says.
Courtesy of Nike
Milo with the final designs, which were presented to the five gymnasts selected for the team last month.
The jacket’s open seam is a quintessential Miro detail: “This seam is one of the most defining features of my designs. I use it everywhere: on t-shirts, dresses, bottoms,” but it was also a way to mimic the togas billowing in the wind in her reference image.
Courtesy of Nike. From top left to bottom right: Sunisa Lee, Hezly Rivera, Jade Carey, Simone Biles and Jordan Childs wearing custom Milo jackets.
Miro was especially qualified for the job because she was a competitive gymnast for 10 years: “I know what gymnasts want to wear, what they should wear, how they want to look, how they want to feel in competition,” and she points out that the women’s Olympic gymnastics team, which includes Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee, Jade Carey, Jordan Childs, and Hezly Rivera, is known not just for their split jumps and back handsprings but also for their authentic sense of personal style.
“It’s nice to have people interested in these athletes beyond their sport, and see all the possibilities they have. They’re not just gymnasts,” she says. “It’s nice to see what they’re drawn to and what they like, especially in fashion. We always see them in leotards, but what do they like to wear outside of competition? It’s really fun to see different sides to them.”
Courtesy of Nike
Chiles soon found out he’d made the team after a trial in June.
Jordan Chiles agrees that fashion plays a big role in her work. She points out that some of the best athletes in the world right now have incredible style. “Take for example Serena Williams, who is an icon and a legend. She pushed the boundaries of what you should wear to a tennis match. In track and field, Shakari [Richardson] “Athletes are making fashion statements right now, I can’t even talk about Aja or the WNBA players,” Chiles explains. “Fashion and sports go hand in hand. The NBA and NFL walk-ins have been amazing over the last few years, and we want to be a part of that.” When she opened the box containing her Milo jacket, she couldn’t contain her excitement. “I’m going to be honest with you, I screamed.”
Tonight, the Olympics officially begin in Paris, and while no one knows how many medals the women’s gymnastics team will win this year, Milo thinks the jackets represent how far they’ve come. “The jackets are essentially a trophy,” she says. “They’re what you wear when you walk out of the competition after qualifying.”
Though Goddess Nike wears a toga and Team USA wears custom Sami Miro jackets, both are equally likely to pursue victory.
Tara Gonzalez is senior fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar. She previously served as style writer at InStyle, founding commerce editor at Glamour, and fashion editor at Coveteur.
