Virgil Abloh has long been associated with sportswear, streetwear and the like, but it seems after dressing legendary tennis player Serena Williams for the US Open, Abloh has caught the performancewear bug. Williams' look was the result of a union between Nike and Abloh and was one hell of a head-turning collaboration. Not just because Williams was wearing Abloh's designs when she won, and made worldwide news in them when she didn't, but because the designs were emblematic of empowerment, of youth and of style while also providing great performance.
Entitled "Track and Field" this collection was an earnest continuation with Nike, with a set that mimicked the title - running track and faux field. A gunshot triggered the show's beginning and Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid kicked off the proceedings in leggy stark white looks. Sports were really at the forefront of every aspect here, models overtook each other around the ring, mesh and performance panelling were paramount and earrings appeared to be gym padlocks or weights. Mini-skirts, belted jacket and tones of beige broke up the athletic-wear, as did the sporty pump heels and new trainers. The latter were more fashion shoes than sport.
Attributes from Williams' gear could be found in this collection too; her love for ballet and tulle appeared tenfold on cascading ballgowns and dress. The former was rather brilliantly updated with a spritz of neon paint or a half-corset, the other half ying-yanged with a crop t-shirt. Pops of sporty neon glowed under black light and looked commanding on the sportswomen Abloh had invited to walk. The likes of sprinter Dina Asher-Smith, heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson and high jumper Cecilia Yeung were present, and gave this collection a powerful edge - bodies of all shapes were brilliantly catered to.
Beyoncé bellowed overhead as neon snakeskin hit the tarmac. Puffa jackets, slick trousers and blazers with racing logos marked this collection as a perfect hybrid of hyper-cool streetwear and sport-informed fashion. Empowering, youthful, stylish - this was OFF-White's best yet.
