The athleisure trend has been quietly bubbling away for some time now. Since the 90s, ‘It-girls’ have pounded the pavements in block-colour track pants, striped rugby shirts, pleated tennis skirts, and ballet wrap tops.
It’s a trend that’s been supercharged by the sporting legends themselves. Tennis star Naomi Osaka is renowned for making a statement in spectacular on-court outfits, including most recently a full-length Kimono embroidered with cranes and cherry blossom. On the ice, Olympian Alysa Liu amassed a new legion of fans when she dazzled at this year’s Winter Olympics rocking striped halo hair and a disco-inspired dress. Meanwhile on the track, Sha'Carri Richardson has become synonymous with neon hair, bespoke jewelled nails and statement winged eyeliner.
It goes without saying that the WAGs have further propelled the sports-luxe aesthetic. Sir David Beckham’s wife, Lady Victoria, consistently serves up sideline sophistication, graduating from micro shorts and oversized shades to skinny jeans and rippling, silk tops. Elsewhere, Bukayo Saka’s fiancée, Tolami Benso, has been credited with starting a ‘WAG renaissance’ thanks to her polished looks on the pitch. Infused with Gen Z flair, Benso’s game day wardrobe is chock-full of motocross jackets, retro England shirts, double denim and Prada.
As the World Cup continues to captivate the nation, football shirts and shorts have firmly taken centre stage. Fashionistas have embraced an array of key styling aesthetics, typically either doubling up on the activewear for an unapologetic look, or layering sporty separates with contrasting elements such as feminine frills and buttery-soft leather.
