Highlights from fashion’s big year of sport

Have you heard? 2024 was a big year for fashion and sport. From the Olympics to the Euros, tennis to Formula One, fashion brands have invested more than ever this year, via athlete ambassadorships, sportswear collaborations and sporting events. Meanwhile, the sportswear market has been in flux, with shaky performances from heavyweights like Nike and Adidas, comeback kids New Balance and Puma hot on their heels, and burgeoning challenger brands from Hoka to On clawing market share.

The fashion-sports surge has been a long time coming. With the Paris Olympics, the growth of the NFL, football’s continued resonance with almost half of the world’s population, and growing engagement with running and functional fitness, sports fandom and participation is arguably at its apotheosis right now. And amid the luxury slowdown, it’s crucial for brands to build cultural relevance and emotional connection with consumers to maintain or gain market share. For luxury labels, sportswear collaborations are more accessible to the priced-out aspirational shopper. And for sportswear labels and luxury brands alike, collaborations allow them to align with consumers’ desires for versatile, fashion-forward athleisure dressing, straddling performance and style.