‍Welcome to ‘Together We Rise’, a new editorial partnership from VERSUS and Nike exploring the women who are blazing a trail to shape the future of sport and culture. Nike’s Third Kits for the 24/25 season have turned the Swoosh vertical to mark the non-stop rise of women’s football – and this is where we celebrate the players and fans who have made this change possible.

Taylor Hinds knows what it takes to stay at the top. The Liverpool defender has been with the Women’s Super League side since 2020, helping the Reds reach the topflight of English women’s football in her first season. She made her senior debut at just 18-years-old and has since gone on to dominate backlines. Not to mention doing so in a league many consider to be the most competitive in the world. ‘Together We Rise’ champions the torchbearers who have paved the way for women in football and culture. Taylor has been carrying the flame for others to follow for years. 

VERSUS spoke to Taylor after wearing Liverpool’s new third shirt to discuss the power of community, the importance of having kits that empower women’s athletes, and her words of advice for the next wave of changemakers.

What does it take to rise to the top? 

It's obviously hard work and determination. But I think, for me, it’s also happiness and enjoyment because if you're not happy and you're not enjoying something, then you're not going to want to work hard and want to win and fight for more. I think first and foremost if you're happy then you can be confident. That's one quote that my dad told me when I was younger, “if you're happy in your heart and you work hard, it can get you far”. It's so simple but that has got me where I am today. I'm happy, I'm enjoying myself, and I'm playing at my best.

What’s some of the best advice you’ve ever been given?

When I was at Arsenal, I was really close to Daniëlle van de Donk and she was unbelievable with me. She just told me that I need to keep working hard because sometimes you can mentally switch off a bit when things aren't going your way and when it's getting tough. And that sounds really simple but for her to go out of her way to speak to me is meaningful. For her to just be like, “honestly, keep doing what you're doing, keep working hard. I know it's hard right now, but you will get your opportunity”, it meant a lot. And I may not have understood it then, but I've got it now, So I still keep that with me, but I don't think she knows that I appreciate her that much because I haven't spoken to her for a very long time. I’ll drop her a DM after this!

What sort of milestone do you want women’s football to achieve next?

I think, club wise, especially in the WSL, for more women's teams to play at the bigger stadiums. And not just play there, but get a load of fans in as well because it's hard to create that atmosphere and to fill the stadium. 

If you could give advice to the next generation of women’s players, what would it be and why?

I'm gonna take my dad's one, which is just be happy and work hard. A lot of sacrifices will have to be made, but it will all be worth it. Happiness comes over everything, because there is more to life than just wanting to win. There’s so much pressure all the time to win, to play well. But recently, I've changed my mindset to just enjoy my football experiences and be happy. 

There's more to life than football, I’m not in a not saying it in a negative way! I'm saying it in a more positive way, so it then takes the pressure away from me. Whereas going into games before, I was probably more nervous! Now I'm more relaxed, and I'm playing better than ever before. 

If you were to choose an artist to write a track for the ‘Together We Rise’ campaign, who would it be?

Burna Boy. I actually love him! I went to see him in the summer and honestly nearly cried, I got there so early and I don’t even know why! But I was just so excited to see him perform. Honestly, his new album is just unbelievable. I know every word.

Liverpool's 24/25 third kit is available to purchase now via Nike.com.

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Taylor Wears Nike, Halden, Margaux Studios, Dinosaur Designs, Hey Harper and HOOPS + CHAINS LDN

VERSUS: What do you think of Nike’s ‘Together We Rise’ campaign for their third kits?

Taylor Hinds: I think it's important, and it shows who we are and who we want to be as women’s footballers, or women in sports more generally. And I think Nike has really helped with that. Obviously, we've seen a lot of growth over the past few years in women's football, but I think narratives like this one helps boys and girls to learn more about the women’s game – if anything, seeing us in campaigns like this might even encourage them to watch women’s sports. When I’m a part of kit releases, it helps me realise I play in those wider narratives, too. I take a lot of inspiration from knowing that. 

When you hear the phrase ‘Together We Rise’, what does that mean to you?

It's an inspirational and really positive message to present to the world. It speaks to the motivation of getting women's football to where we want it to be – to the same level of the men’s game. We know there's a difference in terms of physiology and physicality, but to get that same atmosphere at matches, to play regularly in bigger stadiums in front of more fans, that’s what we want. For a lot of us now, we're training at the best facilities the game has to offer, so it’s just about getting to that next level.

It’s quite hard to do that by yourself, right?

Definitely. I think you need people around you, whether that's your family, friends, coaches to achieve something so monumental and far reaching. You can do things by yourself, but it's easier to have help through a lot of people. It just makes life easier, and I think it's generally quite nice as well to experience these journeys with others. For example, me getting to where I am right now, I've not done it on my own! I've done it with help, I'm privileged and grateful for that help. That's why I want to be successful in football and I want to do well, for my family who helped me get here.

I love that idea of giving back to your community and all working towards a shared goal. I feel like you often see that in women’s football.

Yeah, definitely. I think as women we're really emotionally intelligent. So when it comes to uplifting one another and supporting those in our networks, people  who have helped us on the way, it comes quite naturally. It hasn’t been an easy route for a lot of women in football, we’ve had to experience a lot of barriers that men’s players haven’t. When you get to a place you’re happy with and feel successful, you feel the need to share that with the people who’ve helped get you there. 

Being a woman in football, whether you’re a footballer or not, can be really challenging. To have people you can depend on, who have similar experiences, I’m sure that can be quite motivational?

Yeah, for sure. I was actually talking about this the other day with my mates. You make so many friends in football. Not just friends that you're close with, they become mates for life. And then they become family. I said the other day, “if I had a wedding, how many people would I invite?” I'm going to have so many wanting to come!

When you have different experiences and go to different teams, you create those relationships and those bonds. And I think it's nice to have that as well, because they understand everything, they're in the same workplaces I'm in. That's one thing I really love about football.

It’s quite cool that Nike is taking that message and putting it in their kits. Why do you think it’s so important to include stories in kit designs?

I think it gets everyone questioning ‘Together We Rise’ in a good way – they want to know the story behind it. So for example, the Swoosh. It’s upside down and people will want to know why, it then gives those wearing the shirt the opportunity to explain the design’s story. And with Nike being a huge global brand, everyone will want to know. For me, Liverpool’s always a big club, which will only help spread the awareness further. 

What’s your favourite detail of the kit?

I think it’s the Swoosh and I really like the brightness of the kit. It's not just plain white, it's got lots of details in it and different patterns. And obviously, Red for Liverpool!

Fashion and football just gets bigger every year. Why do you think that is?

I think because as footballers, we're very expressive on the pitch. I think that's in us and in our nature. So then off the pitch, we like to express ourselves and people do that in so many ways. I think fashion is one of those avenues, and I think it's cemented in the men's game so why not bring it to the women's game?