Defy your doubt and challenge convention. Professional hockey star and two-time Olympic silver medalist Hilary Knight demonstrates that when you dare to pursue your dreams, you shatter boundaries.

Legend Billie Jean King's bold tennis game won her 39 grand slam titles while her courageous activism continues to propel social change. Break new ground and inspire others.

Never give in, never give up. Track and field champion Jackie Joyner-Kersee overcame injuries and severe asthma to win six Olympic medals, and along the way she taught us setbacks are only the start of comebacks.

When espnW and the merchandising arm of ESPN approached HOMAGE to develop a collection of apparel that celebrates women and inspires them to create their own unique stories, we jumped at the chance. The message couldn’t be more on point with HOMAGE’s DNA—never mind the collaboration presented the opportunity to be in the rarified company of sporting luminaries Hilary Knight, Billie Jean King and Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

The rub: First and foremost, HOMAGE’s marketing team needed to concept, create and deliver all assets in an unbelievably abbreviated timeline. From a copy perspective, the collection and campaign were deceivingly layered. They needed to tell three distinct yet universal stories that grew out of and paralleled each of the superstars' narratives. Those three stories then had to come together to form a singular, overarching message. And finally, while we would be spotlighting athletes who defied the odds to make their presences known on the world’s stage, the collection needed to excite and empower females of every background, age and interest. It needed to appeal and connect with the shy teenager uncomfortable at the thought of making waves in classroom, the confident trailblazer-in-training who knew her legend would outlive her or the mom wanting to shake up her routine. 

Go, go creative alchemy and voila: The ‘BE’ collection celebrates the individualism and determination of groundbreaking female athletes Hilary Knight, Billie Jean King and Jackie Joyner-Kersee whose achievements inspire women to embrace their passions and create their own unique stories. The three sub-stories and tenets of the message, “Dare to Be,” “Be Bold” and “Be the Best,” respectively drew from Hilary Knight, Billie Jean King and Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

What happened after the launch? The collection and campaign garnered national attention, broadened the brand’s athletic apparel footprint, and successfully diversified HOMAGE’s largely male customer base. And what’s more, the collection and campaign cemented a deeply rewarding relationship with ESPN.