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INTRODUCTION
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> THE LONGJUMP OF SPORTSWEAR:
FROM THE COLISEUM ONTO THE CATWALK
By HEIKE JENSS
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The history of sportswear is naturally linked with the rise of sports, both as a leisure activity and a body training technique.
With this it is closely tied to issues of identity, such as gender and class, but also to powerful political institutions like
the military, school system, social clubs and national or international competitions. At the same time the evolution of
sportswear is inseparable from fashion. While it evolved historically from the adjustment or modification of fashionable
dress, sports clothes and brands in turn had a high impact on the casualization of everyday wear and can be seen as a key
to the rise of Western fashion to the powerful global force it represents in the beginning of the 21st century.
THE SPORTS BIBLE > ENCYCLOPEDIA
Sportswear International
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The majority of the everyday clothes such as trainers, baseball hats, polo shirts or tweed jackets that provide the basics
for today‘s fashionable appearances, give rich material evidence for the technical innovations and design influences
that have evolved from the heritage of sportswear. However, up until the later 19th century sportswear did not exist as
a specific genre of clothing. Actually the Greek athletes were mostly nude or dressed in a loincloth or short tunic when
they participated in the ancient Olympics. When the knights of the medieval times competed in tournaments they wore
protective shields and helmets sporting the specific colors and ornaments of their crest that we still find in rudiments in
the insignia and colors of today’s sports teams. However, their clothing was directed by the purpose of warfare rather than
by sports as a leisure activity as we know it today.
A more distinct form of dress that evolved from a popular sporting activity was the dress worn for horseback riding and
hunting. The riding coat evolved in England from the cut of military garments which had a flat collar, was more tight fitted,
sometimes double breasted and shorter in length to allow better movement, combined with high boots protecting the
legs. From the end of the 18th century riding coats, renamed redingote in France, had a great impact on fashion and were
adopted by men and women taking a variety of forms and silhouettes over the course of the 19th century. Riding and
hunting, however, were activities confined to the upper social class as well as the sportswear associated with it, as it
required of course economic resources not only to practice a sport but also to buy a special clothing for it. Fashion houses
like Redfern, founded by the Englishman John Redfern, targeted this new elite market. By 1881 the fashion house had
branches in Paris, London and New York and offered riding dress along with yachting and traveling suits. The house
even had a dummy horse on which clients could sit so that the dress could be adjusted properly for the riding position.
Riding and hunting dress drew a line between life in town and country, work and leisure. But their innovative shapes and
fabrics like tweed indicate how these lines became blurred over time. The gentry residing in the British countryside used
tweed garments to engage in sports like shooting and fishing, as the woven patterns in earthy shades did not stand out
in the landscape. In addition to its camouflage quality it was also a durable performance fabric ideally suited for outdoor
conditions. By 1900 tweed suits were worn as outerwear by men and women of all classes and nowadays it has become a
classic that, as Vivienne Westwood has shown, is open to an ironic play with its connotations of old class, tradition
and masculinity.
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THE SPORTS BIBLE > ENCYCLOPEDIA
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361
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361°
5BORO
66° NORTH
686
ABRASION RESISTANCE
ACRYLIC FIBER
ACTION SPORT
ADDICT
ADIDAS
ADIO
ADVERTISING
AESSE
AGASSI, ANDRE
AHIIDA
AIGLE
AILIN
ALBIN
ALI, MUHAMMAD
ALLOVER
ALLSPORT
ALPINE PRO
ALPINESTARS
ALPRAUSCH
AMERICAN SPORTING GOODS
AMER SPORTS
AMICOR
AMPLID
ANALOG CLOTHING
AND 1
ANIMAL
ANON OPTICS
ANTA
ANTI-BACTERIAL/ANTI-MICROBIAL
ARC’TERYX
ARCUS
ARENA
ARNETTE
ARSON/ORB
ART
ASICS
ASOLO
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Sportswear International
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> 361°
*2003; China; president: Ding Wuhao.
Formerly named Bieke (1994-), the
company started its OEM business
and soon found success with its own
sports shoe brand in China. It was one
of the top three bestselling brands in
2001 and 2002 and it has more than
5,000 retail accounts globally. In 2005
it was named one of the 500 most
valuable brands in China. The company
signed designer Max Zago in 2007.
> www.361sport.com
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> 5BORO
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*1996; New York City/USA; founder:
Steve Rodriguez. A NYC-based manufacturer of skate decks and hoodies,
tees and hats, 5Boro was founded
by skate rat Steve Rodriguez after
he and his friends skated all over
New York City’s five boroughs in the
1980s and ’90s. Today, the company,
which stresses its NYC roots, sells
its products worldwide and sponsors
its own skate crew. Mark Nardelli is
5Boro’s creative director.
> www.5boro.com
> 66° NORTH
*1926; Iceland; founder: Hans Kristjánsson.
The name 66°North refers to the 66°N
latitude line, the edge of the Arctic
Circle, which intersects with Iceland
in its most northern parts. The brand
belongs to one of Iceland’s oldest
manufacturing companies and is the
brainchild of Hans Kristjánsson, who
began producing protective clothing
for the fishermen of Súgandafjörður.
Throughout the decades it has been
a leading producer and innovator of
working clothes used on sea and land,
made for the toughest outdoor working conditions on the planet. In the
past decade, 66°North has leveraged
its expertise into a wide selection of
outdoor clothing for sports and leisure.
It has received numerous awards for
its designs and marketing campaigns.
66°North is well known in Iceland for
its waterproof, breathable, durable,
reliable, comfortable and versatile
apparel. The Icelandic Rescue Teams,
members of the police force in Reykjavik, scores of extreme athletes, and
a myriad of fishermen and everyday
Icelanders wear the brand’s products.
The company was owned by the same
family until 2004 when ownership
changed to Sigurjón Sighvatsson (67%
ownership) and Glitnir Bank (33% ownership). The company’s latest turnover was
US$30,000,000. 66°North is available in
more than 300 stores in 15 countries.
> www.66north.com
> 686
*1992; USA; founder: Michael Akira
West. 686 is a Southern California–
based snowboard outerwear brand
that has garnered a cult following. It
distributes its collection of men’s
streetwear and denim and outerwear
for women and kids to more than 25
countries. A division of Westlife
Distribution, which also owns the
snowboard brand Sepia, 686 is known
for mixing an urban, artistic Los
Angeles aesthetic with high-tech
performance, a quest it calls “an
obsession to make products progressively
unique.” Its unique technology-driven
items include the trademarked Smarty
line of removable three-in-one liners
in performance levels of 20K, 15K or
10K, the trademarked Plexus minimalist
shells and the patented Toolbelt
collection of functional belts, which
feature integrated screwdrivers and
wrenches that eliminate the need to
carry a ratchet driver while skating or
boarding. A pioneer in collaborations,
the brand has created cobranded
products for its annual limited edition
Times Line (started in 2003) with Vestal,
Hello Kitty, Dragon Optical, Dakine and
New Era. It also launched a 686 x Levi’s
collection of denim and denim-inspired
snowboard jackets and pants in January
2008, and collaborated with Famous Stars
and Straps. A group of global team riders,
designers, artists and musicians called
The Faction help to promote the brand.
> www.686.com
> ABRASION RESISTANCE printed in 1994. Addict was
The ability of fibers, yarns or fabrics
to withstand surface wear and
rubbing. A fabric with a good abrasion
resistance is more durable than one
with poor abrasion resistance.
Cordura fibers, for instance, are
strongly abrasion resistant.
> ACRYLIC FIBER
This generic term indicates man-made
synthetic fibers made from
acrylonitrile, which can be cut into
short, staple fibers. When crimpled,
acrylic fiber has a wool-like texture
with low moisture absorbency that
dries quickly. It produces fabrics that
are lightweight, soft and resilient.
established as a British streetwear
company that could sit comfortably
next to US originators such as Stüssy
and Freshjive. Addict has developed
extensively since then via the motto
“Don’t give up... Keep on dreaming!”
Today, Addict offers a full men’s and
women’s collection, along with
accessories and limited edition
collaborations. It participates in various
trade shows worldwide and has
collaborated with like-minded brands
such as Casio G-Shock, Vans, X-Box,
U-DOX, Brooklyn Bikes and, more
recently, with Lucas Films and Vango.
Its other milestones include launching
its online store in 2002 and opening a
flagship store in London in 2007.
> www.addict.co.uk
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> ADDICT
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*1994; Southampton/UK; founders:
David Jefferies and Chris Carden-Jones.
The first hand-dyed Addict tees were
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361°
5Boro
66° North
686
Addict
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> WORLD PRESS PHOTO AWARD WINNERS 2008
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> The story of World Press Photo, an independent, non profit organization based in Amsterdam, dates back to 1955 when a
photo showing a motocross competitor taking a tumble from his motorcycle was awarded the first ever World Press Photo
of the Year. Since then almost every year has seen a contest and a winning image. With this the World Press Photo Contest
creates an overview of how press photographers tackle their work worldwide. It is the only international event of this
stature, not simply bringing together pictures from all parts of the globe but also reflecting trends and developments in
photojournalism, and revealing how the press gives the public the news.
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World Press Photo awards first, second and third prizes in ten categories including picture stories as well as single images
to encourage the submission of both across-the-board and in-depth news photography. Aside from an annual contest,
promotional activities include exhibitions, the stimulation of photojournalism through educational programs, and creating
greater visibility for press photography through a variety of publications.
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The World Press Photo exhibition is an annual public showcase for photojournalism and creates a focus and point of
contact for members of the profession. The exhibition comprises the year’s winning photo, together with award-winning
images from each of the ten contest categories. After the opening ceremony during the Awards Days in Amsterdam,
copies of the exhibition almost immediately begin to go on tour. Today the exhibition is staged in more than 80 cities in
some 45 countries around the world including whole Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
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2nd prize stories, Fei Maohua, China, Xinhua News Agency. Lauren Mitchell of Australia is reflected in the screen of a scoreboard while she
competes in the women’s beam final at the 2007 Artistic Gymnastics International Invitation Tournament, in Beijing, China. Mitchell took the
silver medal.
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2nd prize stories, Fei Maohua, China, Xinhua News Agency. Marcie Van Dusen (right) of the USA and Colombian Jackeline Rentería
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both cry as the referee declares Rentería the winner of the 55kg women’s freestyle wrestling finals during the 15th Pan American Games in
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the winner.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At first, it was announced that Van Dusen had won the match, then judges changed the decision and announced Rentería
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2nd prize stories, Fei Maohua, China, Xinhua News Agency. Zhang Hongwei competes in the men’s triple jump, after a heavy rain shower at the
Seventh National Games for the Disabled, in Kunming, China on May 18. A world record-holder in this jump, Zhang came second
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in the event.
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1st prize stories, Erik Refner, Denmark, Berlingske Tidende, Competitors in the Copenhagen Marathon at the finish-line, on 18 May.
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2nd prize singles Frank Wechsel, Germany, Spomedis. Swimmers pass the 250-meter buoy during a men‘s heat in the Triathlon
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World Cup in Rhodes, Greece, in October. The event comprises a 1.5-kilometer swim, a 40-kilometer bicycle ride and a 10-kilometer run.
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THE SPORTS BIBLE > ACTION SPORT
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BIK > BIL
perbrand and CoolBrand status by the
UK-based superbrands organization in
2007-08. The Nitro rucksack was given
the Millennium Product Award by the
UK Design Council. Besides rucksacks,
Berghaus also offers apparel and footwear. Since 1993, Berghaus has been
part of the Pentland Group headquartered in London.
> www.berghaus.com
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> BETTY RIDES
*1993; USA; founder: Janet Freeman.
Betty Rides is a product-driven brand
run by women snowboarders for women
snowboarders. It was founded by designer Janet Freeman when she saw a
need for women-specific snowboard
clothing that would fit her and her
female friends. Freeman earned her
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design
degree from Parsons School of Design.
The name of her brand came from a
friend of hers who used to call the cute
girls at the mountain “Betty.”
> www.bettyrides.com
> BIKE ATHLETIC
*1874; USA; founder: C.F. Bennett.
Bike is known as the originator and
market leader of the jock strap. It
began operations as the Bike Web
Company, which C.F. Bennett founded
soon after he invented the garment
to give comfort and support to bicycle
jockeys who rode on Boston’s cobblestone streets. His athletic supporter
soon became known as the “Bike
jockey strap,” which was later shortened to “jock strap.” Bennett patented
the device in 1897 and Bike has currently sold more than 300 million of
them. The company, which has been
a division of Atlanta-based Russell
Corp since January 2003, has always
stressed athletic protection during its
long existence and introduced such
items as the lightweight “Air Power”
football helmet, the coaches short and
compression shorts that target specific
muscle groups. Today Bike produces
sports medicine gear such as cups and
braces and protective gear such as
shoulder pads and gloves. Its clothing
offerings include team apparel in five
categories: baseball, football, softball,
basketball and other sports. The brand
is sold at major sporting goods chain
stores and independent shops around
the world.
> www.bikeathletic.com
> BIKINI
the two-piece acceptable. Over the
following decades the development of
fibers such as Lycra led to the creation
of many new styles. Today the bikini–in
all its varieties–has long replaced the
the one-piece bathing suit as a favorite piece of swimwear on the beaches
of the world.
> BIKKEMBERGS, DIRK
The bikini is a two-piece swimming
costume named after the Bikini Atoll
in the Pacific where the USA tested
an atomic bomb. The first bikini was
introduced only days after the detonation
on July 5, 1946 in Paris by stripper
Micheline Bernardini. Although inventor
Louis Réard intended for his creation
to have a certain impact, he was
surprised by the worldwide outcry the
presentation generated.
With the exposure of the navel, the
bikini broke a taboo. In the ‘50s wearing bikinis was forbidden on many
beaches. In the ‘60s actresses such
as Ursula Andress appearing in a bikini
in the James Bond movie Dr. No made
*1959; Germany. German Dirk
Bikkembergs, who graduated from
the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in
Antwerp in 1982, was the first fashion
designer to fully understand and
act upon the potential of football,
considering it the universal language
of the 21st century. After working for
various Belgian fashion companies,
Bikkembergs in 1985 received the
Golden Spindle award. A Belgian
footwear manufacturer then gave
the young talent the opportunity to
realize his first men’s shoes; in 1986
he debuted with a whole footwear
collection. A men’s apparel collection
soon followed, and in January 1987
the designer added a knitwear
collection. After working some years
in Paris, Bikkembergs in 1991 set up
his company in Italy. The year 1996
saw the birth of a women‘s footwear
line. Today the brand encompasses
three different lines that offer
women’s, men’s and kids’ styles:
Bikkembergs by Dirk Bikkembergs
(white label) with more basic and
more accessible styles, exclusive Dirk
Bikkembergs Sport Couture (black
label) and Bikkembergs Sport (red
label) as a sportswear and jeans
line. Ar the start of the millennium
footwear manufacturer Zeis Excelsa
got hold of the worldwide license
for Bikkembergs’ footwear and
leather accessories (since winter
2008-09 the brand offers bags and
accessories). With the introduction
of Bix, his first football boot, in 2006
Bikkembergs also began specializing
in the technical sporting shoe sector.
In 2008 he took the concept one key
step further with Tirosegno, a football
shoe. By the beginning of 2009, the
designer will open his first store in
Milan’s “fashion triangle” and add a
showroom in Barcelona soon after.
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> www.bikkembergs.com
> BILLABONG
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*1973; Australia; founders: Rena and
Gordon Merchant. In the early 1970s
Gordon Merchant and his first wife
Rena experienced the need for fashion
that allowed surfers to move freely.
Until then shorts used for surfing had
cotton threads that rotted away in
salt water and waistbands that did not
keep the shorts in place. The couple
developed their first boardshorts on
the kitchen table and drove around
to sell them to local surf shops close
to their home on the Australian Gold
Coast. The business was an immediate
success and by the 1980s Billabong
expanded offshore to North America.
Shortly afterward, licences were
granted in Japan, New Zealand and
South Africa. During the ‘90s Billabong
ventured into other boardsports mar- >
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Berghaus
Betty Rides
Dirk Bikkembergs
Billabong
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