Athletic Infused Streetwear in Paris
The rise of activewear as sportswear is enjoying a new found techno futurism moment. Sporty shapes, including cutout visors, bomber jackets, mini-skirts and shorts, are all part of the mix, and are now imbued with a new futuristic feel.
At John Galliano’s show, a dove gray bomber jacket over bright, yellow high-waisted trousers in a playful triangle print was among the top looks. A perforated visor and bright platform shoes added a deliberate 80s touch to the eclectic ensembles.
Sacai’s Chitose Abe took on the world of athletic wear this season and displayed her incredible gift for creating high performance sportswear by fusing hightech fabrics into new hybrid silhouettes. A knit top with emerald green sleeves in technical satin over matching drawstring trousers flaunted her technical prowess and playful silhouettes.
Guy Laroche’s Marcel Marongiu played with high-tech fabrics too, to create voluminous mind-blowing shapes. “I was trying to stretch boundaries for masculine and feminine; also there was something a bit science-fiction in the shapes,” said Marongiu. “Sweatshirts and sporty micro-skirts are cut on the bias to emulate movement, in a zero gravity kind of way,” stated the designer.
Balmain and Barbara Bui took us back to the 1980s when power shoulders were a an absolute must. Balmain’s Oliver Rousteing reintroduced the idea in pieces that appeared to exemplify the gogo 80s, albeit with a hint of athleticism. A quilted bomber jacket with rounded cocoon shoulders over a pin-striped blouse is worn with low slung, buttery soft black leather trousers trimmed with gold chains. Barbara Bui took apart and reassembled a classic Nimes chambray denim jacket inset with a black leather panel and worn over crisp, white tennis shorts.
Designers introduced luxe touches to all manner of athletic inspired sportwear. Giambattista Valli’s white cropped shell top is worn over black shorts and a micro skirt that unfurls into aero-dynamic folds. Balenciaga’s Alexander Wang showed cropped tops and running shorts made of braided lines of leather in splashes of pretty spring pastels. Veronique Leroy’s sportswear approach was a bit more luxurious and minimalistic. Her nubby white moto jacket over a short, wrap skirt resembled the texture and softness of terry cloth.
