Serena Williams Design Crew Returns On The Nike Cortez

It’s been a minute since the Serena Williams Design Crew landed in our headlines, but it appears the program’s latest cohort of aspiring designers is... © Sneaker News, 2026. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us The post Serena Williams Design Crew Returns On The Nike Cortez appeared first on Sneaker News. The post Serena Williams Design Crew Returns On The Nike Cortez appeared first on Sneaker News.

It’s been a minute since the Serena Williams Design Crew landed in our headlines, but it appears the program’s latest cohort of aspiring designers is ready to debut its first sneaker release. Here we have a new reimagination of the timeless Nike Cortez, set to launch in two colorways in the near future.

Founded in 2019, the Serena Williams Design Crew is an in-house Nike initiative aimed at giving up-and-coming creatives a chance to cut their teeth in footwear design, all while collaborating with one of the most iconic tennis players of all time.

By and large, the changes to the base model lean utilitarian. Rope laces thread through TPU eyelets, and a new ribbon/pull tab lands atop a nylon tongue. The Swoosh doubles as an additional pull tab within the backtab, while an extra splice of rubber adds protection to the toe. Chrome-tinged tongue tags, serif Nike text on the backtab, and co-branded Volt insoles headline the branded touches, joined by silver butterfly charms.

Two contemporary SWDC x Nike Cortez colorways are on the way, one in “Black/Metallic Silver/Volt/Light Khaki” and another in “Light Iron Ore/Volt/Metallic Silver/Black.” Both are constructed primarily with pebbled leather and what appears to be suede/nubuck at the base.

The SWDC x Nike Cortez collection doesn’t have a concrete release date yet, but a Spring/Summer 2026 launch seems likely at this point. We’ll circle back with more info as soon as it becomes available.