Style

These upcycled Puma creations are the wildest sports bras you’ll ever see

Designed by Nicole McLaughlin to raise awareness about women in athletics.

Nicole McLaughlin x Puma sports bra
Nicole McLaughlin

After debuting a jacket made entirely out of soccer goalie gloves for her partnership with Puma, designer Nicole McLaughlin has revealed a lineup of sports bras made from various upcycled Puma pieces. Including designs crafted from water bottles, soccer balls, and netted bags, the bras are being raffled off to benefit Women Win, an organization dedicated to empowering girls and women globally through sports.

Upcycling, especially in streetwear, has been having a moment. Even top fashion names, like Bella Hadid, have been seen sporting handmade designs crafted from recycled materials. The pandemic has increasingly brought consumer’s attention to the non-sustainable practices that pollute the fashion industry, and now more than ever, people are interested in thrifting, recycled fashion, and shopping sustainably. As such, McLaughlin’s newest designs arrive at the perfect moment, and now, consumers have a chance to win the usually-pricy styles.

Sporty spice — McLaughlin’s one-of-a-kind assortment includes five different bras. Silhouettes range from a bra made of a Puma motorsport glove bag, a soccer ball, a running water bottle holder, a mesh basketball gym bag, and Cobra Golf drivers. While some styles seem more decorative, others are pretty practical, offering the space to carry gear or snacks sans purse.

Nicole McLaughlin

Keeping her sustainability efforts in mind, McLaughlin’s handmade pieces are crafted from unused Puma samples, deadstock pieces, and other sporting goods items. Designing clothes out of disposable objects has become a compulsion for McLaughlin, and every collaboration challenges what she’s capable of doing, pushing her limits and leading to unprecedented growth. “It’s really about the materials that I pick out, and using vintage pieces and other things we’d turn a blind eye to,” she told Input in an interview last year. “There is so much value within [those materials], so I'm really just trying to bring more awareness to that.”

While brands have started to release more and more products made from recycled materials, none come close to McLaughlin’s innovative designs. These sports bras remind us of something Lara Croft — or an equally sexy explorer — would wear. There’s nothing that says “rugged adventurer” like clothing made out of found items.

Nicole McLaughlin

Extra support — Whether you’re hoping to wear McLaughlin’s unique bras or display them with care, you can enter a raffle to win your chosen style on the designer’s website. Entries for the bras are allowed until March 17 and cost $10 each. Participants can enter as many times as they want to increase their chances of winning. All proceeds will be allocated to Women Win, and Puma will match the total donations up to $5,000 to further support the organization’s efforts.

If you’ve already entered, or want to browse your options, the upcycled bras are currently being displayed at Puma’s New York City flagship store on Fifth Avenue. The exhibition explores McLaughlin’s creative process and brings awareness to women in sports. Truly, these bras are supportive in more ways than one.