All pictures by Vasily Samoylov https://www.vspictures.com
From a sport for weirdos in the 60s to the most fashionable and open-minded sport today.
Running doesn’t have strict rules when it comes to clothing. Essentially, you can run in whatever you have on hand. On one side, this means you can wear old sweatpants and a cotton t-shirt. On the other, you can wear a pink crop top and $300 shorts, regardless of your gender. How cool is that? I think this is the main reason I decided went for a run many years ago. I dreamed of playing tennis, but it was expensive and required lots of equipment and coach.
I have been in love with running since 2001. When I went for my first run, I had zero technical clothes or shoes. I survived Russian winters running in snowboarding gear for many years. I ran in bulky big jacket, some thermo pants and in huge ski gloves. Thanks got cheap ski clothes were available back then.
As a teenager, I struggled with shoes, bras, and other clothes I hated. Only in running clothes later in life I did feel comfortable and like myself. Unfortunately, I couldn’t wear running clothing in the city around 2010-2018. Over time, running clothes and streetwear culture shifted, and decades later, I’m the happiest person ever, wearing running clothes all day and year-round.
This change was possible because fashion became more accepting of athletic wear, and fashion brands embraced streetwear. Sportswear, especially running gear, became fashionable. Tennis might have been the first, but now running is at the forefront. We see more and more brands inspired by athletic clothing on the runways. Athletic clothing became stylish and good-looking, making it a more comfortable choice for everyday wear.
Travel boom also played a role. I mean traveling became more available especially for my generation in Russia, and for more people in general with growing running culture people now travel more just for the races. When traveling, running clothes are the easiest to pack because they are light, fast-drying, and versatile. Who needs jeans or sweaters when you can wear technical materials that save space and time? Some time ago, I was fishing and tried to pack more normal clothing for my travels, but I always found myself only wearing running clothing. Most of my travels are for marathons, races, or active adventures where you run, hang out with runners, and find that running clothes are simply more acceptable and cool. Wearing running clothing every day became normal with more brands on the market making stylish and good-looking clothes.
Traveling by plane, by car, walking around big cities, hiking in the mountains, riding bikes in Europe, visiting museums, and so on—running clothing is now for every adventure you have.
Running clothing is now the new streetwear—more technical and more expensive. Small brands create clothes you don’t want to take off, but they are also pricy. This exclusivity is an important element. Wearing something from the community, something rare and expensive, shows who you are at some point and who want to sees as.
Not only is running clothing becoming a staple of everyday life, but the culture itself is also spreading. Running has evolved from the weirdest to the coolest sport in the world, and people are proud to be part of it. It is not a sport, it is culture. Running now much more than moving your body in space. More brands want to be associated with the cool running culture, leading to collaborations like District Vision with New Balance or Salomon with lot of small designers, Nike with artists. Not to mention running advertising has become incredibly stylish; look at Salomon’s productions—they’re remarkable. Their videos are art, expensive beautiful art. Because running is beautiful and very cool culture now. ON Running is making running highly fashionable, blurring the lines between running clothes and fashion. Their websites and images are pieces of art. Running has become an art form, from clothing to the scenery of the races.
I am not even saying about trail running yet…..
The days when runners were unseen, dressed in old, stretched clothes, are gone in our community. Now, they are the brightest, most stylish people, each with unique details. Your running clothes and lifestyle can tell much more about your personality than anything else.
From Bandit and Satisfy to Nike Lab, you can find anything for everyday needs. Collaborations are crazy. When you spend $500 on a Nike and Sacai collaboration, you want to wear and show it off every day. Between running in the morning, running in the evening, and spending time with the running community, there’s not much time for any other clothing.
When I was working in fashion running and other athletic close just started moving on the podiums little by little. Russian fashion Magazines along with magazines from Europe were the most stylish ones, now China and Dubai are behind the wheels.
The biggest wave is coming from Asia. Japan and Korea are incredibly stylish markets. Most running brands look to the Asian market with anticipation because it has both money and impeccable taste. The rest of the world just follows. The most exclusive and crazy collections often appear in Asia, with some in Europe. With more immigrants in the US, running culture is also becoming more fashionable. Like 10 years Aho The North Face was an amazing in Asia and very boring in the US.
Working for many years in the fashion industry taught me that streets and runways influence each other, especially streetwear with money. Asia has both money and taste. Europe has taste and some money. The US has money but lacks taste. However, the running community is diverse and international, so trends spread quickly. This is why runners are now the most stylish people, surpassing even tennis players, who are less diverse and open-minded almost all over the world. Today, we see more people wearing running clothes every day, not because they ran, but because they choose to. I more can say you can see this crazy stylish running community and can notice them at any city, because they are noticeable, they are bright and fun, they make running very desirable.
In my personal experience, running clothing has shifted dramatically over the past 10 years. More small, independent, and brave brands have emerged, offering more colors and styles. People are choosing comfort and style. For me this is huge step into more comfortable lifestyle where I do not need to sacrifice style to be comfortable.
Personally, I wear running clothes everywhere, not just because I run all the time, but because they are light, good-looking, and signify my membership in the running community. When someone shouts “Bandit” at me, I know they’re part of my community. I like to pack less and travel light, and running clothes are all I need. With new designs and technology, I take my running clothes to the mountains, the beach, the city, the ocean, the theater, and restaurants.
Live an Active Lifestyle 