Caitlin Clark has already worn shoes inspired by Taylor Swift back in June this year. Now, as the Indiana Fever star celebrates the release of her newest signature shoe, it seems like her latest homage to the pop star has already surpassed all previous attempts.
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Clark recently unveiled the Nike Caitlin 1 “Friendship Bracelet” version, a design that includes colorful charms and details inspired by one of the biggest traditions of Swift’s Eras Tour, where attendees make and exchange bracelets as a sign of solidarity and community feeling. Clark addressed the shoes while talking to reporters ahead of the Fever’s game against the Connecticut Sun on August 28.
“These are probably some of the ones that I was most excited about,” Clark said in a clip posted to X by reporter James Boyd of The Athletic. “Obviously, I had the Kobe version, but I feel like these are even better. It’ll come with some charms and everybody can kind of make their own, obviously. I have CC 22 on mine and some other charms, but just pretty fun.”
Clark’s referring to her previous reference to Taylor Swift. Back on June 11, the Fever debuted a Nike Kobe 6 Protro PE colorway named “Eras Tour” inspired by Swift’s tour, blending pink, yellow, and green on a gradient upper. Notably, this was the final Kobe Bryant PE Clark released, especially since the Caitlin 1 was on the horizon.
She started teasing the “Friendship Bracelet” shoes in June too, when she arrived at a game against the Toronto Tempo wearing bracelets reading ‘10.01.26’ and ‘Caitlin 1’ on her wrists.
Her new shoes stand out compared to the rest of the field. They feature an off-white base dotted with multiple color undertones and a gold Nike swoosh, with Clark’s own logo on the tongue of the sneaker in her signature blue.
The major standout feature of the shoes is the laces, which are thick and fuzzy and are filled with small charms woven into them. On the pair Clark wears, it features a ‘CC’ on the bottom lace of the left shoe, while the right one has Clark’s jersey number, “22.”
The shoes are the latest in a long partnership between Clark and Nike, stretching back to her days at Iowa. Back in 2024, her rookie season in the WNBA, she inked an eight-year, $28 million deal with the brand.
Clark also highlighted how important the friendship bracelets, a key part of the Eras Tour, inspired the shoe during her pre-game interview.
“The amount of friendship bracelets that I receive when I’m signing autographs like that’s always what people want to make for me,” she told reporters.
“I feel like this is almost something that I can kind of give back to the fans in a way. Like you can connect with me like I’m making my own shoes on the court, and you can kind of take this shoe and like make it your own in your own way. I think it’ll be probably popular amongst young girls, but at the same time, like I hope boys want to wear it the same exact way.”
As many fans know, Clark has been a longtime fan of the artist, and even joined her at her suite during a Kansas City Chiefs game on January 18, 2025, with the two seen embracing when Travis Kelce, Swift’s partner, scored a fourth-quarter touchdown during a playoff game.
Given that relationship, reporters also asked Clark what Swift thought about the sneakers, and her reply was clear.
“Taylor likes them,” she said, as the room filled with cheers. Clark also expressed that she hoped her shoe would have a universal appeal.
“I think it’s pretty cool. I’ve already heard from a lot of people that really want them. So I feel like this will probably be a hot commodity. I assume,” she concluded.
For now, a self-proclaimed Swiftie has transformed a well-known fan tradition into her own signature shoe.