Nike celebrates holistic fitness during International Yoga Day in the beautiful setting of Portrait Milano

On the occasion of International Yoga Day, Nike celebrated yoga and holistic sports with an exclusive session inside Portrait Milano in Piazza del Quadrilatero, Antonia’s new space with a concept that combines tradition and innovation, with an eye always on the future and the avant-garde of the international fashion scene, a lifestyle destination in the heart of Milan.

An immersive yoga session anticipated by a panel in the company and with the guidance of Valeria Margherita Mosca, volleyball player Cristina Chirichella, singer Gaia Gozzi and Nike trainers Giulia and Ivana; during the talk, the guests talked about their experience and the trainers, moreover, guided the guests during the practice.

It was an opportunity to celebrate mindfulness as a support for movement; a moment to connect body and mind through an engaging, intimate and inclusive experience, which saw as the center of psycho-physical balance the union of the five pillars that guide the brand in the new era of Nike WellCollective, the brand’s new vision to support physical and mental well-being.

At the heart of Nike Well Collective, in fact, are Nike’s five pillars of holistic fitness: movement, mindfulness, nutrition, rest, and attunement. These pillars guide how Nike supports every aspect of wellness through its broad ecosystem, from activity apps to the brand’s digital platforms to stores.

International Yoga Day and holistic fitness. The opinions of athletes Gaia Sabbatini, Cristina Chirichella and Caterina Bosetti.

Now a must-attend event for yoga practitioners and those who choose mindfulness as a way of life. In the hectic pace of everyday life, more and more awareness of time for oneself becomes strong and consequently sets a new pace, a new scale of priorities. That is why the event powered by Nike was a gift for those who do not give up their well-being today.

When did you discover your awareness toward holistic fitness and how do you carve out your routine?

“Before every race I have my routine, I start 3 or 4 days beforehand doing visualizations. I immerse myself in the moment I am competing, see my opponents, feel my breath. A routine I started this year, I used to live it spontaneously but didn’t know how to direct it well. Now visualizing the race I arrive without unnecessary anxiety. My mental coach helped me. Then I do several diaphragmatic breaths to try to rest. The mental aspect is crucial to face a race in the best way.” Gaia Sabbatini

“I discovered mindfulness in college and then I became more and more informed. Some things I was already doing without knowing they were part of mindfulness. For example, shaking, if I get to a race too overexcited I do a really strong shake to release the excess energy. Before I was not so mindful, even walking with my dog is a way to be in touch with nature, the outdoors and find some peace. It also relaxes me to study, makes me focus on different things than the game.” Cristina Chirichella

“I found it in recent years, I used to face matches with a lot of anxiety and fear of outside judgment. I used to waste a lot of energy, now that I feel I have my internal balance I live the match as a normal day. I have my activation, the early pianzo and a 50-minute sleep. The day before the match I go to bed and do long breathing, this allows me to release anxieties and stay focused.” Caterina Bosetti

Now a must-attend event for yoga practitioners and those who choose the This year, Nike is placing a focus on the holistic aspect of fitness, focusing specifically on supporting the community in everyday life and maintaining its commitment to make sport an everyday habit through immersive and inclusive experiences, providing innovation, expertise, services and experiences for the body, mind and life. Yoga, specifically, means union between what is above and what is below, between the individual and the collective. It is the discipline that has always united the physical and mental spheres, perfect for regaining one’s balance and an all-round physical and mental well-being. Nike with International Yoga Day wanted to celebrate the joy of movement, the power of mindfulness and the benefits of considering the whole self. With Nike Well Collective, the brand strives to be more than a sports brand but a symbol of movement and a place where everyone can feel connected and included.

Here is how the pillars are broken down in detail:

– Regarding movement, Nike Well Collective intends to provide resources, inspiration and knowledge for body movement, from traditional sports to activities such as dance, yoga, walking and stretching.

– In the area of mindfulness, Nike Well Collective will promote research-proven methods such as meditation, visualization, breath work and self-talk to feel more centered and balanced.

– In the area of nutrition, it will offer expert advice with an open and shameless approach to help people increase their movement and feel their best.

– Based on the latest scientific findings, the field of rest will provide workable methods to maximize sleep and recovery.

– Finally, in its pillar dedicated to attunement, Nike Well Collective will present opportunities for community, both online and in person, and promote greater connection with nature and self.

With its new holistic approach, Nike is also integrating its physical and digital services and experiences-in fact, in the coming months, Nike Live stores will become Nike Well Collective. New member-focused digital spaces-with select product assortments that support women’s journey in sport and lifestyle-become the ideal setting to continue to improve and enhance the way Nike serves holistic fitness and wellness.

Interview with Gaia Gozzi

Gaia Gozzi, singer-songwriter and winner of the 19th edition of Amici di Maria De Filippi, participated in Nike’s International Yoga Day. Perfect opportunity to talk with her about her approach to the holistic practice.

When did you first realize that it is essential to carve out a moment for yourself and how does it fit into your everyday life?

I think the whole holistic practice part has always been there in my life, even seeing my mother or my family being very spiritual, I always picked up on the importance of the connection between body mind and soul. This focus was passed on to us by my mom but the practice in my daily life with a strong need I introduced it after coming close to burnout after years of intense work-even post covid. At some point I disconnected from everything and took my time to refocus, to understand and listen to myself. I also increasingly increased the importance I give to my feeling rather than my thinking.

Do you practice every day?

The opposite would not be sustainable. By nature I am very impulsive, fast, volcanic. So my practice is every day but it is never the same, I listen to myself with respect to what I feel. It can be a walk, it can be meditation on the mat or breathwork in bed with intentions for the day. The first thing I do as soon as I open my eyes is think about my intentions and breathe.

How does this affect your creativity?

Creativity has a flow of its own but the mood in which you approach and listen to it can give you different cues. Practice helps you with that as well, it helps you with everything. On an energetic level you are more proactive, more open. It is a way of tidying up. For me the more you tidy up inside yourself the better things happen. To dispel is the myth that you write when you are sick, it’s true it can happen but also being well and meditating gives you answers or take you to beautiful places that can inspire you.

Article produced in collaboration with Nike.