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The worlds of sports and fashion became more intertwined than ever in 2025. Deals between brands and sports leagues continued to ramp up, with even the NFL — not historically the most fashionable organisation — forging partnerships with labels like Breitling and Abercrombie & Fitch. The NBA planted its own flag in beauty with Cerave. In a sign of how serious some teams are about fashion, the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries held its own runway show, sponsored by Sephora, in August ahead of fashion month.
Outside of professional sports, the rise of social run clubs has turned what was long seen as a solo activity into a lifestyle — one demanding its own wardrobe and accessories. Running styles also made a big comeback as casual footwear, as did football silhouettes. Meanwhile, the retro styles that ruled the early 2020s continued to fade.
The year notably saw glimmers of a return to form for the industry’s top brand, Nike, which regained some semblance of control after a few years of its competitors running the game — and which had one of the most highly anticipated launches of the year with its NikeSkims sub-brand. It still faced stiff competition as brands like New Balance and Asics lured shoppers with their running styles, and Adidas found a post-Samba path forward with models like Pharrell’s Jellyfish and the Adizero Evo SL. Reebok even got back in the conversation with its launch of one of the most popular signature basketball shoes of the year, the Angel Reese 1.
Brands are now gearing up for 2026, which will see the World Cup hosted in North America and the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, bringing the competitions to some major style capitals. Don’t expect the fusion between sports and fashion to slow down in the new year.
Top Stories
1. What Comes After Adidas’ Samba? The women’s sneaker market is growing alongside rising interest in women’s sports and casualised dress codes that prioritise comfort. Yet there’s more to addressing female sneaker shoppers than just releasing another trendy low-profile silhouette.
(Getty Images/Getty Images) 2. Luxury Sneakers Lose Their ‘It’ Status. Just a few years ago, designer sneakers were an ‘it’ item driving huge sales. Today the situation has changed, though they still have their place in luxury’s arsenal.
(Edward Berthelot/Getty) 3. Running’s Big Fashion Opportunity. The explosive growth of running has created a competitive space where new and old running brands must figure out distinct ways to reach consumers who see running as a lifestyle rather than just sport.
(BoF Studios/Assets Courtesy of Bandit Running, Saucony, and Satisfy) 4. The Debrief | How Basketball Sneakers Got Their Groove Back. A new era of bold designs and culturally influential athletes is reigniting interest in basketball sneakers, shifting the focus from nostalgia and celebrity collabs back to performance, personality and style.
(Nike/Converse) 5. Can Sports Brands Turn Hypebeasts Into Athletes? As the lines between fashion and sports customers blur, sportswear brands have an opportunity to attract casual consumers to innovations designed for serious athletes.
(BoF Studios) 6. Sports and Fashion Are Tighter Than Ever. But Who’s Really Winning? New partnerships between teams, leagues, players and brands popping up almost daily. Which of these deals work — and how to measure success — is open to interpretation.
(Chloe Jackman Photography) 7. How Soccer Conquered the US Sneaker Market. Football boots, also known as soccer cleats, are becoming unlikely fashion statements in the US, a market dominated by basketball sneakers for decades.
(Nike) Subscribe to The Kicks You Wear, a weekly newsletter drilling down on the red hot intersection between sports and fashion, from who’s up and who’s down in the sneaker world to the latest game-changing sponsorship deals — by our Sports Correspondent Mike Sykes.
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