Sport in fashion: hit or miss?
The tennis-trio of Luca Guadagnino's 2024 'Challengers' shot us into sports in fashion like the downward serve over the net - the powerful slam when you know you've got the points.
With Zendaya as the leading icon, Tashi, she reintroduced us to tennis skirts and shoes that actually support our feet. High-fashion can be both comfortable and flirty. And the men? A resurrected appreciation for short shorts and tank tops.
With close-ups of sweat pouring off the faces of Josh O'Connor and Mike Faist as well as dripping from their hair, movie-goers were thrust into appreciating visceral art and functional fashion. We know that when Josh O'Connor takes off his shirt during the match, the material will be musky but dry - see? Functional.
And expository. Our tennis stars are working hard. The sport is difficult and toiling on the body. With aesthetic camera shots of sweaty, drippy men in expensive gear - Guadagnino combines the three to create an appreciative response from the audience, and newfound interest in baring it all in sports. We want to see the sweat. We want to see taut bodies being pushed to the limit. We want to see sports at its finest. Is this where we see future exposés - all-revealing and hold nothing back?
Possibly. But what we do know is that fashion has joined the team and has become a key player in making sports look chic. Vogue World. Paris. 2024. The introduction to Haute Couture Week combined forces with the upcoming Olympics which are to be held in France. During the event, we saw the familiar faces of Sabrina Carpenter, Cara Delevingne, and Barbara Palvin - owning their runway walks in thematic designer-wear. Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner arrived on horseback and trotted around in Hermés. Each designer-house was given a time-period and type of sport to influence their collection. Some were a hit, some were a miss, and some didn't bother to read the assignment.
But what was unexpected were the Olympic participants. They, too, joined the runway in their sporting garb and walked proudly - as they should - to display that Fashion and Sports are now together.
On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton has brought fashion into Formula 1. Single-handedly, the Formula Champion makes the paddock his personal show of what it means to have an excellent taste in fashion. And that's a lot coming from a Red Bull supporter. But one cannot deny that Hamilton is a force to be reckoned with - not only on the track but also within the fashion industry.
As a symbol of luxury, adrenaline, and the best of the best, Formula 1 attracts celebrities and stars from all over the world. So, really, it makes sense that Hamilton redefines paddock-style with a refreshing look at what it means to be Formula 1 driver. We see the sporty cars, the fancy watches, and expensive sunnies - but overall fashion? A neglected aspect that one man is supporting on his shoulders.
Within sports entertainment, films, and fashion shows - fashion has pivoted and slammed a claim with the resurgence of sports in popular media. Wimbledon is back and being led by our leading lady, Tashi Zendaya - we all love a comeback arc.
And we are here for it.