Jordan Brand goes all in on functional, '80s-inspired women's apparel

It was only a few months ago that Jordan Brand introduced its first women's apparel line, which included the revival of a flight suit paying homage to Michael Jordan's origins with Nike in 1985. But the Jumpman isn't stopping there, as it looks to continue its expansion into womenswear with new collections that are all about "basketball soul" and "feminine functionality." With its Jordan Women’s City Utility Collection and Women’s Flight Essentials, the brand says it wanted to bring elements from classic '80s basketball designs to silhouettes that can be versatile, every-day pieces in any woman's wardrobe.

Fusion fits — To complement that full-body jumpsuit from January, the City Utility Collection adds an off-shoulder jacket and utility bike shorts made to be breathable, lightweight, and easily adjustable. The Flight Essentials, meanwhile, consist of t-shirts, crewnecks, tights, and, of course, tracksuits with an '80s vibe that have been designed to meet women's needs. There's also a Jumpman sports bra, the first ever from the brand. “We strive to design functional, wearable statements that evoke a cool confidence," Martin Lotti, Jordan Brand VP of Design, said in a press release.

In addition to these two fresh lines of apparel, Jordan Brand is debuting a 23 Engineered collection that was created to offer a gender-neutral assortment, according to the company. Like the Women’s City Utility Collection and Women’s Flight Essentials, the new Jordan 23 Engineered capsule features garments that can seamlessly be used as casual, hanging-out clothes or for working out or playing a sport. This is Jordan Brand, after all, so it's no surprise that the element of performance can be seen in all its new collections — whether they're for women or gender nonconforming.

It's time — "Throughout its history, Jordan Brand has delivered the unexpected through a balance of performance and romance,” Lotti added. “These new collections offer utilitarian performance infused with a basketball soul, and created through a refined articulation of classic basketball design lines."

It definitely took longer than it should have, but it's great to see Jordan Brand finally paying more attention to women, who for decades have shown interest (and love) for its products. These curated designs show that the category is no longer just an afterthought for Jordan, and it seems as if the brand is only going to continue building on these efforts. Parent company Nike is on a similar path, as well, having recently announced hyper-specific sneakers for women like the Air Max Up.

If you're into this gear, the 23 Engineered collection is now available on Jordan Brand's site. As for the Women’s City Utility Collection and Women’s Flight Essentials, those are expected to hit stores on July 24 and August 20, respectively.