A quick recap of Sportswear in fashion

Three. Two. One. Arrives in stores the result of the collaboration between H&M and Alexander Wang

"Approaching active wear was exciting for me as I've always wanted to do it, but having that access to the resources - the factories and the garment mills - was a completely different process to what I usually do," says the designer-born Taiwanese "It's a whole new skill set. You have to do your due diligence and testing, but it is something that I have so much passion and love for, that I'd love to have a future opportunity to do something like this that is more permanent."

From waterproof parka to the sports bra, through the gloves and swimming goggles, the entire collection is designed as a true line of performance wear, combining technical innovations, sportswear influences and coolness. 

Each piece plays in a personal and versatile world of physical activity and, as explained by the designer himself: "It doesn't matter if you're a luxury customer or an H&M customer - if you need gym clothes, if you work out, if you're active, there's a piece for everyone."

Wang's love for the aesthetics of sport is not new. 

How can we forget his last spring and summer show? The sneakers, especially Stan Smith and Flyknit, are leitmotif, and re-interpreted with style, they become iconic, sexy and sophisticated pieces, such as the bag-trainers is the worship item. Asked about his athleticism young talent admits: "I don't do any sports! I only wear sports clothing."

This  is the truth: people love to dress up in athletics typical pieces, outside of gyms and spas, even and especially if the sport does not fall into their habits. The collaboration of Wang with H&M is further proof of the phenomenon that drives brands of sportswear to act, behave more and more as a fashion labels.

The latter introduce materials and technical requirements, as balance, support, flexibility in their creations, while the formers are trying to get more and more sophisticated and attractive aesthetics. It's luxury sportswear. 

Research and innovation are fundamental, such as beauty and unique craftsmanship. The sport sector experienced a tremendous development, the various brands compete to ensure best performances and materials. Fashion and athletic mix, mingle, creating hybrids that combine the best of style and technology. 

"Sport is constantly changing and women are evolving entirely new kinds of activity at a rapid pace. And that means they have new needs, which are creating new insights and also inspiring new products," said Nike CEO Mark Parker in her introductory speech to the women summit that was held a few days ago in New York. Today, companies like Nike and Adidas are expanding more and more, not only among athletes, and even high-fashion brands want a piece of that market, popularity, success and sales. 

When the sport has become so central in the fashion world? 

It was Coco Chanel, in response to the shortage of materials caused by the war, introducing the jersey, paves the way for what many years later will be defined luxury sportswear. 

If Miss Coco is credited with having opened a new path, that of Jean Patous with tennis star Suzanne Lenglen turn it into a trend, it is the American fashion to develop it and to make it a success. The ideal of beauty feminine healthy and athletic has always been center between designers such as Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan, but it is street to make the sportswear a necessary habit. Do remind anything names like baseball player Chuck Taylor or tennis stars  Rene Lacoste and Stan Smith? They are the ones that inspired cult footwear that the entire world population still knows and wears. 

Sneakers are the real hyper-competitive territories that is fighting in streetstyle shots. A long time ago the Run-DMC sang "Me and my Adidas do the illest things / We like to stomp out pimps with diamond rings / We slay all suckers who perpetrated / and lay down law from were to state" and it's still true. 

Just take a look around the net, to the fashion bloggers who, influenced by phenomena such as normcore and health goth, wear them as the feature piece to have, preferably with elegant clothes, in perfect dystonia with the trainers themselves. 

Many designers wear them regularly, JW Anderson, Jeremy Scott, Raf Simons, Phoebe Philo, and even those who do not choose for himself, realize the personal and exclusive versions for their brands. Remember the rain of luxury sneakers seen in the fashion shows from Chanel to Dior, last year? 

"There was a time when it all started to become very informal and I think many designers, even if they were planning sportswear, began to have a more refined approach to what they were offering before. Not changing the kind of sportswear at all, but offering luxurious details or tissues night to day," said Daniella Vitale, vice president of Barneys New York. 

At a time when our smartphones have become a personal trainer and running is the obsession of the moment labels such as Alexander Wang, Christopher Raeburn, David Koma and Rodarte want to attract high-profile clientele with pieces of sport inspirations, but remain at all the effects couture garments. 

The phenomenon is so hot this summer that Net-a-Porter has launched an area dedicated to shopping. If the house look at the world of fitness, even the big sportswear companies are turning to external designers. The collaborations are increasing, becoming a well-established habit, better and better managed. Dates back more than a decade ago, the first collection of  Y-3, yet enduring marriage between Yohji Yohji Yamamoto and adidas. 

"We have opened a new market segment, a niche for others to follow," says the Japanese, "And even now after all this time, there is an even greater demand for a modern interpretation of sportswear. Y-3 is unique in the market and not comparable to any other brand or design cooperation. It is a strong examination on the blend of sport and style and the tension caused by mixing tradition with all that is modern, creating a unique contemporary feeling. My desire" says Yamamoto," was, and still is, to make sportswear elegant and chic. The collaboration with Adidas is not only important in my creative experience: it gave life to something entirely new".

It 's true. Without this successful experiment, there would be not proposals with Jeremy Scott, Riccardo Tisci, Stella McCartney or the latest by Undercover for Nike and Mary Katrantzou for Adidas. 

Luxury, beauty, functionality and high performance: we want everything and we want it now.