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Sweat and Style: How Fashion Brands Can Ride the Sports Wave

Marketing, Research

We’ve seen it time and time again: another collaboration between a fashion brand and a notable figure in the sports and fitness world. Whether it be your favorite influencer dressed head to toe in athleisure or loyal fans sporting (pun intended) their favorite football player’s jersey, the relationship between fashion and fitness continues to grow stronger year by year. Sports is an interest that speaks a universal language, unbound to demographics or geographical boundaries. The world’s eyes turn to every major sporting event and its athletes when the time comes, like the recent Euros and Olympics for example. 

Through market research and industry insights, we will shed light on how and why fashion brands should focus their marketing on the heightened interest and emotional connection that people have with sports and fitness. VOCAST interviewed Xenia Garver, a Copenhagen-based lifestyle and fitness influencer, about her perspective as a content creator working with brands.

Meet the Interviewee: Xenia Garver

Xenia Garver is a Danish influencer based in Copenhagen. In addition to short vlogs and day-to-day lifestyle content such as fashion, travel, and makeup, she also has a focus on health and fitness, sharing recipes and workouts with her TikTok followers.

 

 

The growing relationship between sports and fashion

Alongside the typical athleticwear powerhouses like Nike, Adidas, and Puma, we’re also seeing luxury and more every day, streetwear-style brands enter the sports sector. Some of the most successful and notable partnerships and collaborations include Nike and Michael Jordan, Skims as the NBA’s exclusive underwear partner, and Ralph Lauren as the official outfitter for Team USA. On a macro level, fashion and fitness are becoming increasingly intertwined as stylish workout and athleisure clothes become more popular. Xenia expresses her excitement about fitness entering the fashion world:

“It provides an opportunity to showcase a healthy and active lifestyle through stylish and functional clothing choices. Personally, I feel better training in an outfit that is fashionable, it almost motivates me. Additionally, it opens up opportunities for creative collaborations and innovative designs that can inspire both fitness enthusiasts and fashion lovers.”

Worn both in the gym and on the street, we see the versatility of athleticwear for both exercise and everyday outfits. This demonstrates how lucrative this market is, and there are numbers to back it up. Sports-adjacent apparel has been significantly outperforming the rest of the global market since pre-pandemic, with consultancies forecasting the market to soar to $249 billion USD by 2026. The flourishing relationship between sports and fashion isn’t just a trend, it’s a new way to reach consumers.

Noorunisa, Copenhagen Fashion Week Street Style SS25

The Appeal and “Coolness” of Sport

For years, well-established luxury fashion brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci have been looking for different ways to connect with the younger consumer base. The question has always been: “How can we stay relevant?”. Throughout the years, they’ve dipped their toes in the arts, music, and now their eyes are on sports. Having an athlete as a brand ambassador and the focal point of campaign shoots can bring in their dedicated, and young, followers; they have achieved celebrity status in this day and age. We see them in feature films, television shows, red carpets, and even the Met Gala. Fitness influencers have also become more popular with each new year, especially since the pandemic when at-home workouts became the new normal. Athletes and fitness influencers are widely regarded as the epitome of hard work and discipline, well-respected among the general public for their physical strength, athleticism, and talent. They’re transcending their sport and craft to become cultural icons, and their endorsement adds a layer of cultural relevance and “coolness” that is invaluable for fashion brands. The dedication and commitment to their craft athletes and fitness influencers demonstrate resonates with consumers, giving them an edge of admirability and respect. Xenia touches on how they can influence fashion trends:

“A lot of people have a “favorite influencer”, and to them, that person probably has authenticity and relatability. Therefore, the viewers might get inspiration from what [they] are wearing. Some influencers are even trendsetting and able to create new fashion trends in the fitness-fashion world.”

Similar to other kinds of public figures, they’ve become brands themselves with large and loyal followings. People to them for inspiration in all aspects, fashion included. Magazines like GQ have begun putting out lists of the most stylish athletes, with names like Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton and tennis player Serena Williams being among them. From their streetwear, outfits for their front row seat at fashion weeks, and choice of gear on the court, their style is becoming as iconic as they are.

Noorunisa, Copenhagen Fashion Week Street Style SS24/SS25

How They Work Together

As with the start of any successful partnership, it begins with mutually beneficial terms that push both the athlete and the brand to new heights, and shared values. For the athlete or influencer, it could look like a sponsored social media post, branded gear, outfits for events, or a collaboration with the brand. For fashion brands, it’s reaching new audiences and potential customers. Both entities are brands in their own right and it only makes sense to work together if there are shared values.

“First of all, the collaboration should feel genuine and authentic to my audience. I do prefer if the clothes and the brand is something/someone I already like because it is easier to promote something I already use and like using.”

Xenia highlights the element of genuineness in order to ensure authenticity across the board. This can look like several things. For one, as Xenia mentions, it’s a brand the athlete or influencer already enjoys and uses, as they’ll be able to better communicate the products to their audience when they actually like it. It can also look like shared aesthetics, meaning the brand and the individual just complement each other, such as from a visual aspect. A good example of this is tennis player Naomi Osaka as an ambassador for Louis Vuitton, as she fits the fashion house’s core values as well as bold color and print aesthetic. Louis Vuitton has had a longtime association with sport as the essence of it aligns with their values of courage and overcoming challenges. Aesthetically, the Louis Vuitton style stands out while also placing emphasis on functionality and use, designing trophy trunks for the football World Cup, the F1 Grand Prix de Monaco, and now the Paris Olympics.

Xenia also mentions the importance of building a sustainable relationship with the brands she works with.

“I also do enjoy long-time potential, so I don’t end up promoting several different fitness-clothing brands.”

This approach further enhances the authenticity of the partnership and ensures consistent messaging and branding, which is essential for maintaining a coherent brand image for both the fashion brand and the athlete or influencer. Additionally, long-term collaborations allow for more in-depth storytelling, enabling the athlete or influencer to share their genuine experiences with the brand over time, building a stronger brand narrative. This is much more effective compared to short-term and scattered endorsements.

Key Takeaways

The integration of fashion and sports is increasingly evident through collaborations between major brands and influential figures in athletics and fitness. Initially dominated by leading names like Nike and Adidas, the athleticwear market has expanded to include luxury and streetwear labels, driven by the growing popularity of athleisure. By tapping into the global appeal of sports, fashion brands can extend their influence across borders, leveraging shared values and interests to foster enduring customer loyalty and differentiation in competitive markets. They can engage diverse consumer segments and influence cultural trends, establishing enduring connections that extend beyond product endorsements alone, amplifying their visibility but also reinforcing their cultural relevance and consumer engagement in a dynamic and evolving marketplace.

  • The relationship between fashion and sports is expanding, with both athletic and luxury brands collaborating with athletes and fitness influencers.
  • Athletes and fitness influencers have become cultural icons; influencing fashion trends, appealing to younger demographics, and bringing cultural relevance and “coolness” to fashion brands.
  • Successful partnerships hinge on authenticity and shared values. Genuine endorsements resonate deeply with audiences, fostering lasting brand loyalty and trust. Sustainability is key in these collaborations, ensuring consistent messaging and avoiding sporadic promotions.
  • The athleticwear market has been outperforming the global market, with forecasts predicting it to reach $249 billion by 2026.

Discover the Fashion Influencers with a sporty style across markets

Our international research team has gathered some of the most fashionable influencer contacts with a sporty sense of style from each market. Take a look below:

Denmark

Karla Alajdi is an Influencer based in Copenhagen. She uploads daily pictures of her fashionable outfits, jewelry, travels, and snapshots of her life in the capital. Karla regularly incorporates sporty elements into her everyday uniforms; such as Adidas tracksuits, sneakers, belt-bags, and tennis skirts.

Sweden

Wasima lives in Stockholm and works as a stylist. On her Instagram she inspires her followers with her sense of fashion and pictures of herself. On her website Dar Warda she sells selected archival vintage pieces.

Norway

Zingko Zkung is a Norwegian up-and-coming fashion content creator based in Norway. She is often seen wearing oversized pants, streetwear inspired pieces, and vintage leather jackets.

Finland

Maria Brand is a Helsinki-based freelance fashion stylist and influencer. She’s primarily active on TikTok, where she posts streetwear chic outfit videos.

Germany

Yothin Khamwandi is a German fashion and lifestyle influencer. He creates content mainly for TikTok and Instagram, and his aesthetic is eclectic and playful with lots of colors.

Austria

Hannah is an influencer with positive vibes and a vibrant feed focused on a healthy well-being, fashion and outdoor activites in Austria. Her content portrays her love for colourful and contemporary fashion, and her passion for surfing, snowboarding, swimming, hiking, and pilates. She created the jewellery brand Mahina Loko.

Switzerland

Kobi is a Swiss content creator from Geneva. He focuses on streetwear fashion and lifestyle videos.

The Netherlands

Belgium

Ruben van de Sande is a Belgian content creator based in Antwerp and Amsterdam. Whilst working as a fashion content creator, Ruben is also a baker and owns a cinnamon roll bakery in Belgium.

France

Élodie is a French fashion and home interior influencer based in Paris. Alongside her passion for home interior, Elodie’s Instagram feed reflects her love for “urban streetwear” fashion, where she matches her unique outfits with sports shoes and football shirts.

The UK

Alicia Roddy is one of the UK’s most prominent fashion influencers and vloggers. She shares fashion, beauty and travel related content on her channels. Alicia skilfully mixes luxury with more casual pieces, such as football jerseys and sneakers.

Italy

Luca is a digital creator and influencer based in Milan and Vercelli. He has an interest in fashion, focusing on streetwear and sneakers, and posting his outfits for his followers. Luca also has a separate channel dedicated for his love of football.

The US

Kia Marie is a New York City based influencer focused on sneakers & sustainability. Her style is a blend between NYC grittiness and Southern Californian carefreeness with a mix of 90s, hip-hop, & streetwear culture. She wants to inspire women to live life unapologetically by finding comfort in their uniqueness.

Image credit: Copenhagen Fashion Week/Noorunisa – Street style SS24. References: Jing Daily: Can luxury play the sports game right? CNN: Ahead of the Olympics, Louis Vuitton CEO says sports embody ‘the DNA’ of the brand

  Alexandra is the U.S. Media Researcher at VOCAST. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication from UC San Diego and a master’s degree in Cognition and Communication from Københavns Universitet. Outside of work, she continues her love for writing as a singer, instrumentalist, and songwriter.

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