The Fashion of Sport
Fred Perry. Three times Wimbledon champion, the only British player to achieve a Career Grand Slam and now a name so synonymous with fashion that you almost forget the achievements made on court.
With the closing ceremony of Rio 2016 still fresh in everyone’s mind, I wanted to explore the relationship between sport and fashion, and see where todays trends originated.
Perry launched his namesake brand in 1952, little did he know it would change the way sporting apparel would be worn forever. Famously seen on celebrities such as Liam Gallagher and Miles Kane, the brand has established itself firmly in subcultures far from its lawn tennis origins.
Interestingly enough, Fred Perry took a step sideways and is now in its 10th season collaboration with cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins. This highlights the innovation and progression the brand has achieved, whilst staying true to its British sporting heritage.
When it comes to cycling though, the big name in the game… Rapha. Instantly recognisable colourways with clean cut aesthetics set the tone for the sport come lifestyle brand. If you haven’t set foot in a Rapha Cycle Club, drooled over the nicest bikes you only wish you could afford, and slurped down a soy latte, you need to make this a priority. You’ll feel instantly inspired and beg your boss for a ‘Cycle to Work’ scheme… I promise!
On the flip-side, it’s no secret that cycling has become the signature of East London cool-kids as the fixed speed has exploded in popularity over the past few years. You can’t step foot outside of our Shoreditch office without seeing a bearded 20-something year old carving lines between busses and taxis, without the ‘luxury’ of traditional brakes.
Then there’s football, a sport of two sides. Dubbed as a game for gentlemen, played by ruffians; famous for style icon David Beckham but also gang culture, associated with labels like Stone Island, Fila and Ellesse. Football’s working class history, officially founded in Britain in 1863, has influenced the culture and fashion linked with the game ever since. However, with players now being sold for up to £89m, and wages in excess of £300k per week it’s fair to say there’s definitely a lot of space for luxury designer wear, both in the stands and off the pitch.
It’s sometimes easy to forget, but whether it’s from the court, pitch, track or stand, sporting style and passion has clearly had a big role to play in what we wear every day. One thing’s for sure, when you combine the two worlds you get something truly amazing…
Written by James Brewer, Marketing & Communications Manager at See Fashion. Keep up with See Fashion on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook.
