From Runway to Game Day – The Rise of Fashion in Sports

Sports have become a space for self-expression for athletes, whether it be with their unique playing styles and signature moves or the swagger they have when they arrive on game days. Athletes have been pushing the boundaries of fashion and even making it a part of their brand. For example, Dennis Rodman, a famous former basketball player with five championships under his belt, stood out even more as a fashion icon from the ‘90s with his genderfluid clothing style and multicoloured hair. For the time, his bold and expressive choices were met with a mix of outrage and confusion, considering how fashion wasn’t as forward both in the NBA and in other sports overall. 

However, sports and fashion have become very intertwined in today’s time, amongst both men’s and women’s sports. Fans now eagerly wait to see how their favourite team rolls up to the week’s game, whether they wear a silly shirt or an expensive suit. Many athletes also have their own brands or collaborate with other fashion brands now, merging audiences from both industries. Even some athletes have turned into runway models during the off-season, like Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Minnesota Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson. The duo surpassed everyone in both the fashion and sports worlds when they strutted down the Paris runway in Vogue World 2024. The intersection of fashion in sports in today’s time has irrevocably changed how younger audiences view both sports and fashion alike. 

The Start of It All: Sportswear & Athleisure

Sportswear became more and more popular during the late 19th century and through the 20th century. High-fashion sportswear was known as an umbrella term for clothing worn by both players and spectators alike. With the rise in female athletes, these clothing items are often made of knits or jersey with exposed arms and legs for freedom of movement. This era of sportswear introduced a new type of clothing that put the comfort of women first, especially those who lived a more active lifestyle. For example, tennis star Suzanne Lenglen wore the famous tennis skirt for the first time at the 1921 Wimbledon. Parisian designer Jean Patou is credited with creating this new sportswear design, and her design with Lenglen’s status in female sports helped surge the popularity of sportswear. Other European sportswear designers, like Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, emphasized through their designs that this type of clothing symbolized status and high fashion through and through. 

It’s when sportswear fashion and culture entered the American fashion industry that the term “athleisure” was coined, combining the words “athletic” and “leisure”. Instead of adopting the same luxury ideals that came with the sportswear, American designers like Claire McCardell and Bonnie Cashin wanted to focus more on the simplicity and ease of donning articles of sportswear clothing. The shift in tone from luxury to casual propelled the American fashion industry to stand on its own, out of the shadow of European couture. For example, McCardell combined the fundamental aesthetics of sportswear and the practical approach of athleisure in her own designs in the 1940s, ranging from her bathing suits, day dresses, and playsuits. Many characterized these designs for their functionality, soft construction and utilitarian fabrics, with many of these notions being all features of athleisure clothing today. 

The start of more notable sportswear designs was centred around the comfort of women and practicality for female athletes. This is also mainly due to the number of women designers who have propelled this style of clothing to where it is now. As it has evolved, sportswear designs are more inclusive to men and women, and this new ideal emphasizes the inclusivity and reach of athleisure in today’s time. 

Big Names in The Game 

It’s no surprise that world-famous sporting events have a seemingly endless number of big-time sponsors. However, the intricacies in the involvement in the sports industry of high-fashion brands, specifically watch brands like Rolex and Tag Heuer and luxury fashion brand Ralph Lauren, may not be as well-known. Rolex supports the highest level of sporting events, ranging from motorsports like Formula One and tennis. Wimbledon champions Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz are even photographed accepting their respective trophies, donning Rolex watches. Tag Heuer, another high-end watch and fashion brand, is another long-standing sponsor in motorsports, aviation and sailing. Nicholas Biebuyck, the heritage director of the company, emphasizes how it was “born in the beginning of the automobile, aviation – everything happening at the turn of the 20th century”, which established their presence as these sports gained momentum. Even now, the watch brand continues to be an influential part of sports fashion with its collection of Formula One watches. 

Ralph Lauren is one of the most iconic high-fashion brands to be closely associated with sports. The designer’s avid interest in the equestrian game of polo directly influenced the name of the brand itself. David Lauren, chief branding and innovation officer of Ralph Lauren Corporation, shared that the fashion brand has been “a pioneer at the intersection of sports”. The smart polo shirts and casual yet high-quality pants portray the message of self-expression and self-assuredness in oneself, especially amongst athletes. On top of their fashion line, the fashion brand has been another long-standing sponsor in tennis events like Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and even has been the brand Team USA represents at both Olympic and Paralympic Games since 2008.

High-Performance On and Off the Field

The boom in athleisure and sportswear in the United States is represented by athletes in sports today. Football is one of the most popular sports in the country, and when it is football season, everyone is tuning in from everywhere, ranging from the comfort of their homes, the nearest sports bar or tailgating right before the game. Furthermore, the National Football League, or the NFL, has some of the most fashionable athletes in the game. 

There was a viral moment when Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, Jalen Hurts, showed up to a post-game press conference in a low-key outfit with a high-key necklace, which is out of character for the athlete’s humble personality. Donning a blinging diamond pendant that stated his mantra, “Breed of One”, the video of his necklace catching the white lights in the room and swinging as the quarterback sat down went viral on social media. It also set the standard in pop culture for how grandiose celebrity jewelry, like chains, should be.

Another example in the NFL is Travis Kelce’s gameday fits. Social media accounts for every team in the league dedicate entire posts to showcasing their team’s game day fits, detailing what they wear and sometimes tagging the brands they sport. Kelce has propelled more into the media for his relationship with pop star Taylor Swift over the past couple of years, but even before then, he was known as one of the most fashionable athletes to roll up at stadiums. In 2021, he stated that “it’s almost like it’s a red carpet every single week” when football was in season. His outfits mirror that mentality, rocking up to the locker room in designer pieces from Tom Ford, Bottega Veneta, Amiri and Louis Vuitton, just to name a few. 

Basketball athletes are also known to be some of the most fashionable in the game. As mentioned before, Dennis Rodman pushed the boundaries of fashion with his outlandish approach to style and self-expression in the ‘90s. Flash forward to today, one of basketball’s biggest stars on and off the court is Jayson Tatum. Many know him from his accomplishments with his team, the Boston Celtics, but little do people know how seriously he takes fashion. He has his own signature line of basketball shoes in collaboration with Nike’s Jordan brand, which has become a big staple for many athletes in the field. He also became the new face for luxury brand Coach for their Coach’s For Men Eau de Parfum campaign, alongside already being the brand’s global ambassador for eyewear. 

On a similar vein, the WNBA has experienced a massive increase in popularity thanks to athletes like Angel Reese, Caitlyn Clark, Paige Bueckers and more. Specifically looking at Reese, her contributions to fashion in the sports world have dominated, like her performance on the court. This year, the Chicago Sky forward became the first professional basketball player ever to be on the cover of an American Vogue issue, with Reese even emphasizing how the fashion and sports world have collided. Adding to her high-fashion portfolio, she attended the 2024 Met Gala and is a part of the Met Gala host committee for the upcoming 2025 edition. 

And those are just some of the trailblazers in the sports world who are making big waves in their fields. Other athletes weren’t elaborated upon in this article, in sports like motorsport and baseball, to name a few, but that does not dismiss the influence these players have in the fashion world. Formula One’s Lewis Hamilton recently graced the cover of Vogue for the May issue, and his feature covered his involvement as one of the co-chairs for the 2025 Met Gala. Adding to that, Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani made waves when his team won the World Series in 2024. Off the diamond, the Japanese baseball player has collaborated with multiple fashion brands in both the United States and Japan, such as New Balance and Hugo Boss. Sports and fashion are two institutions so integrated into society and culture that it makes perfect sense for them to intertwine almost perfectly. This intersection explores a new breeding ground for ideas and innovation for both designers and athletes alike, and it is clear that these industries have evolved and will continue to do so.