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IMAGES COURTESY OF FARFETCH
TALLIA
IN THE STREETS Retailers and consumers are embracing new, high-end styles that display influences from both activewear and streetwear. BY STEPHEN GARNER
For retailers and consumers alike, sportswear in 2018 is a time of much excitement. Everyone from emerging designers to classic fashion houses is taking what’s happening on the streets and the runways and moving it into stores. And while the word “streetwear” may incite a shudder in some more conventional retailers, the reality is that it isn’t what it used to be in the 1990s. Designer Tommy Hilfiger recently said some insightful words in an interview with Complex magazine: “The aesthetic has to be a bit sporty, a bit athletic. It’s skate and hip-hop, but it’s not exclusively any one of these things.” The takeaway here? Streetwear isn’t necessarily only rooted in hip-hop as it once was; in fact, the main attribute of the category now is its athletic and sporty characteristics. That explains why such traditionally buttoned-up collections as Ferragamo, Zegna, Valentino and Berluti have relaxed their lines
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to incorporate sporty elements. “There's something to be said for brands that are steadfast about holding onto tradition, but it's great to see that they are starting to realize this new way of dressing for the typical man isn't going away,” affirms Michael Fisher, menswear creative director at trend forecasting agency Fashion Snoops. “He wants to feel like he can move and be comfortable without sacrificing sophistication — that's the key. Even though it's become somewhat of a clichéd term, athleisure is an important category. It has affected absolutely everything, including tailored clothing and dress furnishings. Men want pieces that move with them, no matter the situation.” Bruce Pask, men’s fashion director for Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus, absolutely agrees. “The influence of the athletic world is here to stay. It’s almost its own category now. Athletic-in-
