For years, fashion was only seen as a tool in the sporting industry to showcase its stars, represent countries and create a non-restrictive uniform, ensuring high performances. But what if I told you that it created waves of culture throughout history without us even realising? Creating and inspiring some of today’s most iconic outfits, fashion has been at the forefront of society and now with the help of social media, athletes are getting their well-deserved praise for their stylistic fashion choices.
One of my favourite examples is when athletes are allowed to choose their own uniform within their sport. Individuality has always been a key concept within tennis tournaments, allowing stars to show their true selves through their garments whilst wowing millions of viewers worldwide. Players like Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka have treated 21st century audiences to serves on and off the court with their trend-setting choices. A personal favourite of mine is Serena William’s ICONIC denim skirt and studded Nike top in the 2004 US Open where she reached the quarter finals. Williams even had her own line called ‘SERENA’ and now she’s released a new makeup line to showcase long lasting and inclusive products. A close second is Maria Sharpova’s ‘tuxedo-like’ two-piece during Wimbledon, 2008 which she wore in her first set where she beat France’s Stephanie Foretz… backing up the mantra ‘look good, feel good, do good’.
Fashion has also been used as a tool of protest within sport, due to political and social changes, uniforms have changed for the better. During the Tokyo Olympics, the German gymnasts wore ankle-length unitards to protest the sexualisation of their sport and promote the idea of athletes choosing what they wear. Similarly, in 2021 the Norwegian handball team were fined for wearing mid-thigh shorts instead of mandatory bikini bottoms to protest restrictive standards. Fashion has become such an integral part of sport that it’s used to promote and spread awareness for the causes athletes care most about
Oppositely, sport has majorly influenced casual, every-day looks that have now been normalised. Athleisure has become one of the popular genres of clothing with celebrities propelling their brands into an activewear initiative, including Fabletics by Kate Hudson, Ivy Park by Beyonce and of course SKIMS by Kim Kardashian with their mix of athleisure and loungewear. Brands understand the impact that the sporting world has had on fashion and therefore they decide to be endorsed by a celebrity, targeting a wider audience effectively.
But athleisure has always found its way into fashion trends ever since the 1930s, with tennis dresses, beach pyjamas, and ski suits blending into every-day style, Coco Chanel even designed leisurewear during the interwar years. Designers began to find comfort a necessity as women were driving cars, pushing prams and entering the workforce. The 1980s introduced aerobics with leggings, leotards and headbands as essentials, cementing the popularity of athleisure becoming everyday looks. Which leads us to the 2000s-2010s with wellness becoming your wardrobe, brands aimed to sell not just clothes but a lifestyle where athleisure was the focus. Lululemon, Gymshark and Alo have now become household names thanks to their athleisure ancestors keeping the trend alive and passing on the legacy full of leggings and trainers.
The integration of fashion and sport has been around for years and audiences old and new enjoy observing the creative choices athletes make, proving that fashion has always been relevant. Whether it be to make a historical, political or social statement, fashion can be used as a tool for change regardless piece, colour or fabric, fashion is important and can create waves of change in the sporting world and further.