Trials and Tribulations

Why Track & Field has a Fashion Problem

Running is having a moment. As young adults flock to run clubs to train through their quarter-life crises, find community, or a date, the challenge for the professional side of the sport is to convert these hobbyists into true enthusiasts.

Fashion is one potential avenue for this conversion. And certainly, the latest running boom has been powered in part by the emergence of running gear as streetwear. Yet, as I watched the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials this week, I was struck by the ways the sport is failing to capitalize on this growing interest during its marquee moment (5.7 million viewers tuned in for the 100m finals, the most since 2012.)

Noah Lyles has tried his best to champion track style, adopting the NBA/WNBA walk-in fashion show, but he does so largely on his own. On the track, we see some degree of self-expression (usually in the form of eye-catching accessories, makeup, or hairstyles) but athletes are largely hampered by one thing: the brands to which they owe their allegiance.

To watch the Trials is to observe a parade of athletes competing in their sponsor’s designated kit, which – depending on how many Nike, On, Hoka, Asics, Brooks, or Adidas athletes are in a given field – can be confusing to all but the most eagle-eyed fans. Sure, athletes can choose from a selection of uniform options but the color schemes and designs are generally consistent throughout the season and across athletes regardless of status.

This isn’t a phenomenon unique to track and field. Tennis brands take a similar approach, with the result that Adidas athletes are currently playing in a bumblebee-inspired colorway that is at best bold and at worst truly ugly. Wimbledon’s all-white dress code is the outlier, but (underwear controversies, aside) tradition is part of its appeal. And yet, the sport’s superstars often design their own looks. Serena Williams’ iconic bodysuit is perhaps the most notable example. Nike has also worked with Naomi Osaka and Roger Federer on custom kits. Wilson is targeting me on Instagram with a green dress worn by Marta Kostyuk at the French Open.

Why haven’t brands in running followed suit? Watching the Trials, only Adidas seemed to embrace the opportunity to showcase creativity on track’s biggest stage. Noah Lyles donned speed suits in exclusive colorways (all white for the 100m heats and all red for the finals – contrasting mightily with the black and pastel-colored looks other Adidas athletes wore.)

Anna Hall won the heptathlon in an Adidas x Stella McCartney leopard-print two-piece. Hall’s victory, coming after a devastating fall in 2021, earned her tremendous buzz, no small amount of which was praise for her eye-catching kit. I visited Adidas and Stella McCartney to see if this look was available online and didn’t see it in the current collections. After some more sleuthing, I found the top on Farfetch, suggesting this wasn’t an entirely custom outfit. (And after even more sleuthing, I found that Adidas does sell a neon colorway of their race crop top and booty shorts.)

It’s mind-boggling that these brands don’t seem interested in capitalizing on this moment. Imagine if Adidas congratulated Hall with a social post that revealed her kit was available (even in limited quantities) on their site? New Balance did this to great effect after Coco Gauff won the U.S. Open last year, releasing the “Call Me Coco Champion” tee she donned online within hours of her victory.

Sure, you could argue that the vagaries and nuances of track and field mean it’s risky for a brand to invest too heavily in custom looks for one athlete. But, this kind of thinking does the sport a disservice. Fashion – or more specifically jerseys and merch – is one way teams and athletes grow their popularity. By serving fans who proudly show their allegiance in their favorite team’s or athlete’s gear, teams generate buzz and momentum that begets more following. I mentioned Togethxr’s Everyone Watches Women’s Sports tees in my first newsletter, but the viral nature of this shirt, which is rooted in serving a dedicated community, illustrates this point: fans want to show off their fandom. Why doesn’t track help them do this?¹

Perhaps the sport’s most iconic piece of merch is the Stop Pre tee, a version of which Nike still sells today. The story behind the shirt is revealing. Jack Pfeifer and a group of friends created it for the 1972 Trials. A reaction to Steve Prefontaine-mania, it was “an impromptu act of polite though impertinent civil disobedience, all in the spirit of poking fun at some over-the-top fandom.” This kind of guerilla fan merch continues to prevail at Trials, in part because few brands are making an effort to cater to them.

For example, fans of On Running’s extremely charming miler Yared Nuguse donned goose heads in the stands during the 1500m final.²

What’s stopping On from making merch that capitalizes on Yared’s (or his pet tortoise’s) popularity? Perhaps you can argue this is too niche. On does sell merch for their On Athletics Club, but not the current looks in which their runners are racing nor anything celebrating specific athletes. Again, this does the fans a disservice and hinders the growth of the sport. Fans beget more fans, especially in the age of social media. Runners are particularly motivated to showcase their passion, as Charlie Teasdale noted recently in his Guardian story about run club merch, quoting an athlete who said, “When I wear this shirt, I feel part of a tribe.”

Gymnastics offers another example of how fashion can be used to grow the sport. Leotard makers partner with athletes on custom designs and limited-edition collections, which are available to purchase like GK Elite’s replicas of Simone Biles’ competition looks. Imagine if New Balance had collaborated with Elle St. Pierre on her racing kit and offered a version for sale? ³

Even Lululemon, which sponsors fewer athletes, has yet to connect the dots. They support Olympian long-jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall, one of the most compellingly stylish and magnetic athletes in the sport. Lululemon makes her custom competition looks – her suit looked to be an exclusive cut and custom colors of this one-piece⁴. Why not position it as a collaboration and put it on sale?

Middle-distance athlete (and newly minted Olympian) Nikki Hiltz is similarly marketable. Collaborating with them on a collection could provide a meaningful opportunity for activism. Imagine if Lululemon had launched a collaboration that showcased the need for more gender-neutral clothing in sports? (And during Pride Month no less, the story writes itself!)⁵

I meant for this to be a short lead into a discussion of my favorite track and field fits from the Trials, but to quote fashion writer Elizabeth Holmes, I had “So Many Thoughts.” Before I dive into my hot takes, I’ll just note that outside the usual players in track some of the upstarts have found ways to capitalize on the moment. Tracksmith has made the kits worn by their Amateur Support Program athletes available for sale since the Marathon Trials in 2020. They also launched a new performance bodywear collection on their athletes at Trials (and put the kits online!) Bandit is making a statement with their Unsponsored Project and Allyson Felix successfully launched her brand, Saysh, at the 2021 Trials (this year the brand debuted its first commercial, Legends Do It First, during the event.)

Lastly, sprinting legend Michael Johnson has been working tirelessly to grow the sport and recently announced Grand Slam Track. His innovative concept includes an effort to address the kit issue, encouraging athletes to work with their sponsors on custom looks for the series. But will brands seize the opportunity? I wouldn’t bet on it.

Let’s discuss: What kinds of merch or athlete gear would you like to see from brands in track and field?

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Trials Fashion Winners & Losers

What I liked or loathed…

• Winners

  • On Running gets credit for creating their kit in two colorways. I like that the salmon pink feels of a kind with the teal while offering the athletes some variety. Their speed suit includes interesting cut-out details on the back as well.

    

  • New Balance wins for best tailoring. Their crop top and briefs look sharp and well-fitted to their athlete’s bodies. Neon yellow is a little par for the course in running, but the overall effect works. Of note, it appeared that Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone may run in a custom bodysuit for the semis – hers had appeared to have an asymmetrical cut-out I didn’t see anyone else wearing. (Lest you doubt my obsession, I checked the NB website and didn’t see anything resembling these kits.)

    

  • The Asics two-piece donned by Taliyah Brooks and Valerie Allman grabbed my attention (though I did not like the speed suit). Like yellow, neon green is track and field basic, but the off-kilter composition of the graphic is interesting. I had no luck finding anything like it on Asics.com.

    

  • Puma’s pink and orange kits stood out at the Marathon Trials (not just because their athletes finished 1st and 3rd) and continue to look good on the track. I checked if they were selling anything similar online and… nope.

  • Hurdler Alaysha Johnson wore some noteworthy looks during the rounds. Finishing second in a black bodysuit with an asymmetrical sports/bikini bra top, she mentioned in her post-race interview that her outfit was by a Black designer. I tried to figure out who the designer was, but am striking out. Let me know if you’ve spotted the credit.

  • Raevyn Rogers had a rough 800m final, but I liked her blue Union Athletics Club speed suit by Nike. Points for matching her headband to the kit.

    

  • As discussed, Anna Hall’s Adidas x Stella McCartney look was the best of the week. Would buy.

  • H/T to Erica Stanley-Dottin for flagging that FP Movement sponsors long-jumper Quanesha Burks – they’ve done some good content with her in the build-up to Trials but didn’t post about her on their main feed this week. A miss IMHO. She wore an interesting pale purple ruffled one-piece to compete, but I couldn’t find it on the FP website.

  • Speaking of non-traditional sponsors, I loved that hurdler Christina Clemons teamed up with Doritos on a Cool Ranch-inspired kit. In 2021, she went viral for racing in Cool Ranch Doritos earrings. Unfortunately, she is no longer sponsored by Adidas, but credit to Clemons, she hustled to get Doritos to support her for Trials.

  • Diljeet Taylor, the head coach at BYU and coach to steeple chase runner-up Courtney Wayment always makes a statement with her clothing. In a Citius Mag interview, she revealed she wore something Paris-related for every one of Wayment’s big workouts. I’m making it my mission to get an interview with Taylor, not only is she an all-too-rare female head coach, but I love how she uses fashion to celebrate her athletes and her femininity.

    

• Losers

  • A lot has been written about Nike’s kits, especially the cut of the speed suit. That didn’t stop many women from competing (and excelling) in it, including runners in the distance events, which suggests that – grooming issues aside – it must be comfortable. I took greater issue with the overall collection. Unlike On’s complimentary colors, I don’t understand why there is a red (pink?) striped colorway and a yellow, especially since the mustard yellow striped colorway doesn’t seem to match the neon yellow piping on the crop tops? There is also a hit of gray. Make it make sense… (and no, these kits are not online.)

  • I liked the standard Adidas two pieces, but as others have pointed out, their speed suit design is a head-scratcher.

    

    

  • High-jumper Vashti Cunningham won 8 straight US titles until she came 3rd this past weekend. Her uniform had duck tape on it to block out a Red Bull logo. It goes to show you that USATF’s uniform rules are incredibly byzantine when a seasoned competitor cannot navigate them successfully.

• A few stray observations

  • Clean Girls on the track: There have been reports that the “Clean Girl ” trend has given way to “Mob Wife aesthetic” but it seems that runners like Athing Mu, Courtney Wayment, Olivia Markezich, and Sage Hurta-Klecker have yet to get the memo. I was struck by the number of women rocking the look (namely center-parted and slicked-back hair with minimal, dewey makeup.) As an elder millennial with a permanent side-part, I don’t have a stake in whether this look is in or out but will note it translates well on camera and with sweat.
    
    To wit, I liked Hurta-Klecker’s look for the 1500m heat. She accessorized her hair with two matching clips, a coordinated scrunchie, and a little wing of eyeliner.

    

  • The Stickiness of Barbie-core: I noted previously that Nia Akin’s pink dyed hair stood out, only to discover that she was one of many. Should we chalk it up to the residual Barbie effect? Shamier Little and Taliyah Brooks (for whom a red Afro is something of a signature) were also rocking pink. I will note that Nia had some of the best styling, including a series of very fun earrings and blue eye shadow.

  • Ok, I appreciate an accessory: Akin’s Brooks Beast teammate, Valery Tobias, added a flower to her bun. Chic!

  • Are nails accessories? Either way, USATF and NBC hit the nail on the head (pun intended) with this manicure cam round-up. Raevyn Saunders takes the crown for most epic nail art, though I am curious how they throw a shot put with them.

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Quick Thoughts

Things that drew my eye or my ire…

• I am not a Kardashian fan but must acknowledge SKIMS’ ability to tap into the zeitgeist as well as their commitment to marketing with athletes, including the WNBA, NBA, and now Team USA for the second consecutive Olympiad. Tapping Fred Kerley (who surprised a lot of folks by landing on the podium) for the campaign makes it look like Kim Kardashian can see the future…

• I will plan a newsletter dedicated to gymnastics once we get the the Games, but I liked the Team USA leos at Trials this weekend – especially this one, which had a sequined cumberbund effect. Many of the gymnasts were also rocking “Clean Girl” looks – though 16-year-old Tiana Sumanasekera won for me overall with her perfectly executed red lip. Do you think she shops at Sephora? Perhaps it’s worth doing a whole retrospective on gym hair and makeup. I probably have ~5000 words in me to devote to Kerri Strug’s bowl cut. Let me know if you’d read it.

• I like how much content J.Crew has created around their Team USA Swimming Collaboration, not all of which is in the pool. My question is, who at USRowing dropped the ball on getting a collab? It’s right there in the name!

• A lot of brands at Couture Week nodded to sport. Dior doubled down with a Paris 1924 and Grecian-inspired collection presented that recast “sportswear through a couture lens.”

• Klarna released their “Rep Her” report with the Sports Innovation Lab, which estimated women’s sports merch to be a $4 Billion annual opportunity. A few key stats that stood out to me based on everything I reflected on above:

  • Fans Are Hungry for Options: 79% of surveyed respondents reported they would purchase more women’s sports merchandise if there were more options available to them, while 28% reported they could not find a style they liked

  • Merch is an Onramp To Fandom: 67% of sports fans have purchased women’s sports merchandise without ever attending a live women’s sporting event

• My kind of haul video: Athletes are starting to post Olympic gear hauls on TikTok. Katie Knifton of US Rowing showed off their racing unisuits. Despite my disdain for unis generally, this one from 776 is pretty good.

  

• I spotted Nikki Hiltz wearing this cool super shoes tarot tee on their Instagram and was excited to learn it was designed by Sam Murphy, a Canadian 800m runner I worked with at Tracksmith. Have purchased.

• Is golf supplanting tennis in terms of activewear trends? I hadn’t heard of Random Golf Club until I spotted this Abercrombie & Fitch collaboration, which features some vintage-inspired looks.

• I’ll end with this:

  

1. Worth noting that Eliud Kipchoge’s NN Running team recently released his gear for sale.

2. I asked a friend at On if this was a brilliant sports marketing tactic facilitated by the team, I will report back.

3. Or another free idea – Mejuri should partner with Elle to sell a version of the lucky pearl earrings she wears for every race.

4. Via Tiktok I saw that Davis-Woodhall walked into the stadium for the opening rounds in this green Lululemon tracksuit, which (larger logo aside) is available online. For the finals, she wore a pair of custom Tecovas Annie cowboy boots. More collabs with non-running brands, please!

5. I saw Nikki talking on their Instagram about a tear-away track pant they suggested to the Lululemon design team, so it’s clear collaboration on apparel is happening, it’s just not being marketed as such.

On deck for next week: Wimbledon, Henley, and whatever else the sports fashion gods throw our way.

Thanks to everyone who has subscribed thus far and to all those who made it to the bitter end of this newsletter! I cannot promise future newsletters will be as long – though I am not sure I have it in me to be brief. I’d love to hear from you on topics you’re interested in learning more about or folks you think are crushing it in this space. Email me: leeglandorf@gmail.com.