The fashion set is embracing sports attire in their street style and runway looks

It’s difficult to overstate the enduring popularity of sportswear. From the Phoebe Philo-ites in their polo shirts, tailoring and Stan Smiths back in 2012 to the present-day Grace Wales Bonner super-fans (who proudly show off her Adidas collabs like initiated members of a tribe), sportswear has proven it has the kind of staying power that deems trend cycles irrelevant. And it has left the luxury fashion world somewhat scrambling to keep up. This is mostly because it’s a look that originated on the street before climbing its way up to the runway, rather than the other way around. And perhaps this explains why the trend is so long-lasting – it’s simply what people want.

Streetwear is, of course, indisputably associated with hip-hop. Staples such as tracksuits and logo t-shirts have been, broadly speaking, the uniform for rappers from Grandmaster Flash and Missy Elliott to Kendrick Lamar. The early days saw B-boys and B-girls rocking Adidas tracksuits, chunky gold chains, and freshly unboxed kicks, turning athletic wear into must-have fashion statements. “Black culture has always been the heartbeat of streetwear,” explains producer and stylist Zeda, aka Oyindamola Animashaun. “From hip-hop and dancehall to basketball and grime, Black communities took practical athletic pieces and turned them into symbols of identity, confidence and rebellion. In the 1980s and 1990s, hip-hop culture popularised brands like Gucci, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton, styling these buttoned-up brands with an air of cool that revolutionised the genre.”

From logomania to the explosion of sneaker culture, Black designers and Afrocentric culture have shaped the fashion industry for decades and consistently present as a stylistic and cultural influence on runways. This season, sporty staples played a starring role in a number of banner collections. Miu Miu showed swishy windbreakers and tracksuits with its typical preppy fare, while at Louis Vuitton and Undercover, ski jackets and puffer coats complemented avant-garde tailoring. Spandex, fresh from the Pilates studio, was on view once again at Alaïa, while trackpant-style trousers walked at Tory Burch.

But you don’t have to look to designer clothing for guidance on sportswear. Adidas’s trackpants – both the classic Firebirds and the collaboration with British-Jamaican designer Wales Bonner – has helmed the sportswear- but-make-it-fashion style. Its three stripes have become as ubiquitous at fashion week as Maison Margiela’s in-the-know four stitches. The style set has illustrated the versatility of this casual piece, pairing it with everything from boxy blazers and tailored coats to statement knits and unexpected shoes. The Copenhagen crowd of clothes horses wear their trackies with Cuban-heeled ankle boots, which sounds stranger than it looks, I promise.

“I’m an OG Adidas lover,” says Zeda, “a classic three-stripe lifer! For me, the trackpant works because it carries attitude and nostalgia at the same time. It’s rooted in sport, music and culture, but when you pair it with tailoring, it becomes a power move.” Stylist and writer Corina Gaffey notes that Adidas trackpants feel so right because they have become the ultimate expression of the fashion set’s holy grail: the high-low mix. “There’s a tension, an unexpectedness when you pair tracksuits in an unusual way that adds a flair and individuality. It looks intentional, polished and put-together and like you know what you’re doing. For me, it’s all about having at least one or two polished pieces together with a tracksuit. I like doing a t-shirt or a polo shirt with my trackpants, then adding a blazer and ballet shoes to smarten it up. A crisp shirt, like a striped button-down, works well too.”

The main takeaways? Don’t be afraid of a colour clash: Adidas tracksuit bottoms come in a rainbow of hues and will make for a feel-good pairing with equally bright separates – think green and red or black and blue. And don’t forget to check out both the men’s and women’s sections of vintage sites for pre-loved iterations.

Moving on from the well- trodden path of logo tees, sports jerseys are the spring top everyone wants to wear. Blame it on Rihanna, who has almost singlehandedly turned a sports jersey into a street style staple, or Dua Lipa, who is continually papped wearing vintage football shirts. It makes sense. It taps into that same effortless but intentional dressing vibe – oversized, comfortable, but packed with personality.

“Vintage sports jerseys work because they feel lived-in and iconic at the same time,” says Zeda. “They bring instant character to a look. I like wearing them with sharp trousers or elevated accessories, so the outfit feels styled, not sporty.” For Corina, it’s all about adding a feminine touch to a piece that’s more masculine adjacent. “I have a sports jersey, and I like styling it up with a sheer or a lace skirt – again, it’s the tension that makes it work, the unexpected combinations.”

Once mainly worn by gym-goers and in-disguise celebrities fleeing the paparazzi, baseball caps are the new fashion accessory. Part of the appeal, other than avoiding a bad hair day, is that throwing on a baseball cap is another way to ground your outfit’s formality or add edge to more floaty looks. Last summer, it was all about the New Era NY Yankee style or the ironic slogan emblazoned cap. Zeda feels the next wave will be “niche, community-driven caps – from creative studios, small cafés, bookshops – pieces that feel personal and collectable rather than mass-produced. Less logo, more story.” While Corina reckons “cool girl energy comes from pairing your baseball cap with a silk scarf – it’s such a big spring styling hack.”

If you told us five years ago that the humble windbreaker would make its way from hiking trails to Zoë Kravitz’s wardrobe, we might’ve laughed. But spring 2026 has declared it loud and clear: the lightweight, nylon shell has evolved into the ultimate it-girl jacket. Be inspired by Saint Laurent’s spring campaign, which featured windbreakers in 1980s- inspired colours styled with lace-trimmed shorts and stilettos. In a season dominated by refined utility and wearable luxury, the nylon windbreaker offers just the right dose of irreverence – functional, unpretentious, and a little nostalgic. Whether you lean minimalist or maximalist, the new-age windbreaker trend thrives on styling tension. The trick lies in proportion and polish: treat the windbreaker as you would a blazer or a trench, not a gym jacket. Keep the rest of your outfit elevated – think gold hoops, sleek hair, and a structured bag – to turn “athletic” into effortless. It’s the playful mix of sporty technical gear and contemporary styling that feels unapologetically cool and wearable for real life.

If you’re looking for an Irish brand, Pellador is a buzzy fashion project that has undoubtedly crossed your Insta feed since its conception in 2022. The name is derived from the Irish word peileadóir (footballer) and Spanish jugador (player). Limerick designer and printmaker Greg Hall creates sportswear that captures the imagination of anyone who still gets a shiver up their spine at the mention of Italia ’90. The collection of premium embroidered tracksuits and meticulously designed knitwear honours Irish heritage and embraces football style from around Europe.

Street style images by Stefan Knauer.This article originally appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of IMAGE. Have you thought about becoming an IMAGE subscriber? Our Print & Digital Magazine subscribers receive all four issues of IMAGE Magazine and two issues of IMAGE Interiors directly to their door along with digital access to all digital magazines and our full digital archive plus a luxury gift from La Bougie worth €75. Visit here to find out more about our IMAGE subscription packages.