Cool Sportswear is Taking Over the World — Rihanna, Louis Vuitton and Puma Are All In

BY Natalie Gempel // 03.11.18

photography Mindy Byrd

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Sprint into spring with racing stripes on – Adidas' classic triple stripe is always a good look.

Photography by Mindy Byrd. Styling by Doug Voisin. Hair and makeup by Gabby Rosenberg. Model Natalie Gempel courtesy of The Campbell Agency.

Sporty overalls are in – here we see them tied around the waist as pant.

Let your boots do the talking this season with eye-catching hot pink.

Sporty coveralls are in – here we see them tied around the waist as pants.

The Winter Olympics may have wrapped up, but this season is all about extreme sports. The spring runways traded out ever-popular athleisure for high impact sportswear.

At Louis Vuitton, clunky Archlight sneakers – an unlikely must-have – were paired with silky running shorts and bold stripes. Alexander Wang, never one to shy away from streetwear, showed tracksuits and sweatshirts alongside sexy bustiers and slip dresses. There were a few Adidas moments in Wang’s show, just one example of how the brand is making waves in the high fashion world.

Fashion queen Rihanna took inspiration from the ‘80s for her Fenty x Puma collection, including colorful, oversized windbreakers, skin-tight bodysuits, and neon details. For his final collection with Gigi Hadid, Tommy Hilfiger picked up speed with a racing-inspired collection of sporty leather pants and midriff baring crop tops. Even Dior showed a color blocked leather racing suit!

Yes, this season is all about life in the fast lane – and reinterpreting retro trends in a futuristic way. Nostalgic brands like Champion and Puma are having a moment in the sun, and the strangest bag of all, the fanny pack, has been reborn thanks to street style stars like Kaia Gerber and Luka Sabbat.

In this PaperCity online exclusive fashion shoot, we dive into the daring and colorful world of high fashion sportswear. From boiler suits to spandex boots, this mix of avant-garde and athletic is not for the faint of heart.

Not quite ready for leotards and grandpa sneakers? Don’t worry, we’ll be your trainer. Incorporating sporty pieces into your normal wardrobe – like pairing a varsity jacket with jeans, or trading out a basic T-shirt for a logo bodysuit – is the perfect way to ease into the trend.