You Run Like A Girl - Edition 6

Good evening,

If you’re new here, hello and welcome. I’m Amita and I’m the creator of You Run Like A Girl, a media brand that gives a voice to women in sport.

In this edition:

• ⛸ The Figure Skater Who Treats the Rink as a Runway (figure skating)

• 🏀 Nike Unveils A’ja Wilson’s Signature A’One Sneaker (basketball)

• 🎙 ‘The People’s Princess’: How NFL Wife Kylie Kelce’s Podcast About Motherhood and Women’s Sports Became a Hit (sports podcasting)

Ready? Let’s dive in.

The Figure Skater Who Treats the Rink as a Runway

What do the Chrysler Building, Salvador Dalí, and Billie Eilish have in common?

They’ve all inspired costumes worn by ice dancer Madison Chock. The catch? She’s the one behind the designs. Almost all of the costumes the 32 year-old has worn over the last two decades were designed by her.

Figure skating is known for being theatrical and ice dancing (a combination of figure skating and ballroom dancing) is the most dramatic category in the sport. But Chock, who is an Olympic gold medallist and six-time national champion with her skating partner and husband Evan Bates, has raised the bar when it comes to fashion in her sport.

Chock’s ensembles begin as sketches. To fabricate them, she often works with Mathieu Caron, a costumer for skaters and ballroom dancers. “She has very good taste,” Mr. Caron says. “Year after year, she pushes the boundaries. It’s the whole package, even hair and makeup — every detail is planned.”

Chock has earned a reputation for being a tastemaker over the years. So much so that she now offers her design services to other skaters. This season, she worked with Spanish ice dancer Olivia Smart to develop a hooded, sand-colored dress for a program inspired by “Dune” that Ms. Smart performed with her teammate, Tim Dieck.

Chock will wrap her season up in at the World Championships in March, after which she and her partner will focus on the 2026 Olympic Games in Italy.

“I’m very excited the Olympics will be in Milan, which is a great city for fashion,” said Ms. Chock, who in preparation has been paying particular attention to runway shows from Prada and other labels in Italy. “Going into the Olympics, I’m very inspired by Italian designers.”

Read the full article here. If that link doesn’t work, try this. (Credit: Written by Misty White Sidell for The New York Times.)

Nike Unveils A’ja Wilson’s Signature A’One Sneaker 

Earlier this week, A'ja Wilson, the two-time WNBA champion and three-time league MVP, unveiled her signature Nike sneaker, the A'One.

The release marks a significant milestone, as Wilson becomes the first Black woman to have a Nike signature shoe since Sheryl Swoopes in 2002.

The design pays homage to Wilson's personal journey and professional achievements. From a storytelling perspective, the A’One draws meaning from the pearl, a symbol deeply tied to Wilson’s background. Growing up, she struggled with feeling beautiful until her grandmother gifted her a string of pearls.

“I wore those pearls forever,” she recalls, explaining how they became a reminder of life’s beauty. “I dressed them up, I dressed them down. They gave me that sense of confidence.”

Nike footwear’s A’One lead designer, Ben Nethongkome, explains that the team drew inspiration from the cross-section of a pearl—starting as a small core and gradually forming layers. This concept became the foundation for the A’One’s design, emphasizing both comfort and stability. The shoe’s upper features pearl-inspired layers, providing firm support at the base while transitioning to a more breathable, cushioned feel as it moves upward.

The A'One, set to hit shelves in May 2025, is priced at $110 for adults and $90 for youths.

Read the full article here. (Credit: Written by Tim Newcomb for Forbes).

‘The People’s Princess’: How NFL Wife Kylie Kelce’s Podcast About Motherhood and Women’s Sports Became a Hit

Kylie Kelce, wife of former NFL player Jason Kelce, has made a remarkable entry into the podcasting world with “Not Gonna Lie” (NGL).

Launched in December 2024, NGL delves into topics like motherhood, relationships, and women's sports. Kelce's candid and relatable discussions have resonated with a wide audience, propelling the podcast to the top of Spotify and Apple charts, even surpassing established names like Joe Rogan. Not that any of it matters to Kelce.

“I couldn’t care less about the charts,” she told The New York Times in a December profile. After all, Rogan’s predominantly male audience isn’t her target. Instead, Kelce is making waves in two spaces where she naturally thrives: women’s sports media and motherhood content. What sets her apart in the fast-paced world of podcasting is an unconventional approach—she’s succeeding by simply being, perhaps, the most relatable woman out there.

One major advantage of Kelce’s podcast is the attention it’s bringing to women’s sports. “A real key to growing the popularity and fanbase of women’s sports is having them discussed in general culture and mainstream media. And Kylie is doing that,” said Caroline Fitzgerald, founder and CEO of Goals, a consultancy and media platform dedicated to the business of women’s sports.

Whether Kelce’s relatable charm will eventually feel repetitive or if her rising fame will shift the dynamic remains to be seen. But for now, at least for 45 minutes a week, audiences are tuning in.

Read the full article here. (Credit: Written by Kady Ruth Ashcraft for The Guardian).