History is cyclical, and so is much of fashion. What’s cool will at some point become mundane, misguided or mocked, as tastes change. Iconic brands, on the other hand, are, well, simply iconic – which is what old-school sportswear masters like Fila, Fred Perry, Kappa and Sergio Tacchini are. They’re having a renaissance now, and they all have genuine history to buy into.
Old-school Sportswear from Old-school Sports Brands: Part 2 of 3
So, what makes the masters stand out aside from their rich history? They still have a knack for recontextualising and reimagining sportswear’s place in culture at large.
This brand, beloved by mods, never really went away, and it has found new fans through its association with Olympian Bradley Wiggins, whose averageJoe demeanour appeals to men and women fans alike.
In his heyday, Bjorn Borg was rarely seen not wearing it, and the brand is newsy again thanks to its Heritage collection of premium sneakers being worn by online tastemakers, and its cool collabs with MSGM and cult Los Angeles label X-Large.
Once the uniform of football hooligans (yes, it’s a thing), this ubiquitous Italian football terracewear brand was revived in Russian designer Gosha Rubchinskiy’s Spring 2017 collection. It’s the jersey now favoured by Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner.
"Springl Summer 2016 marked the first of a series of cottaboratons betwen vetements and Champion"
Champion: The Comeback Kid
A century-old brand, Champion was the undisputed athletic uniform for jocks, and was embraced by hiphop artists, skaters and the general American public – until the ’90s. Then, baby boomers stopped caring about the ’90s, and millennials were too young to care.
In 2016, Vetements resurrected the brand by remixing the logo, and the knock-on effect was that A Bathing Ape and Supreme also championed it. The latest to do so is Hong Kong’s streetwear label, Izzue, whose “Retro Sports” crossover collection brings vintage activewear back to life with a onetwo punch of Izzue’s signature streetwear elements and Champion’s iconic palette of black, white and grey – which is now also spruced up with flaming red. It’s #Winning again. – DFL
For the Tenenbaums, it’s either Adidas or Lacoste.
Lacoste: The Resurgent
"This literally means “fly forward” in Mandarin."
Feiyue: The Chinese made French
The shoe brand was famous for its simple design and robust, flexible, lightweight canvas. Those qualities made it ubiquitous as the footwear of blue-collar workers and Shaolin monks in 1920s Shanghai. In 2007, French fan Patrice Bastian registered Feiyue in France and, after an update while retaining its charm, the original shoe was relaunched as Fe Lo Classic with France’s Tricolore – officially making it utilitarian et cool. – DFL
What Chang says of vintage sportswear: “It’s for you if you want a unique look. And if you’re looking for something that I don’t have, I can help you look for it through my networks.”
Old-school Sportswear from Old-school Sports Brands: Part 3 of 3
WHERE TO BUY REAL VINTAGE SPORTSWEAR
The Attic
#04-146A Far East Plaza Since 2001, this stalwart store has been filled with vintage jerseys, tracksuits, tees, windbreakers and caps. You can’t see (or find) them, because the store, filled with everything from the past, is at max capacity.
Founder Yap Chang Yen, 41, has been collecting all things vintage for about 25 years. Quality and authenticity are the most important factors for him.
“I am particular about authentication and an item’s condition. Being able to identify and authenticate vintage items comes from investing in guidebooks, doing loads of research, and experience,” says Chang (the name he goes by). Earlier experiences cost him “buying mistakes”, which he calls “paying school fees”.
“I don’t buy sportswear if it’s a replica and is not made in its country of origin. I would not buy an Adidas item if it was made in China; I’d buy one that was made in Germany.” – RT
Loop Garms’ vintage clothing items are oneofa-kind, which means they sell out fast. Price range: T-shirts and caps from $15, and jackets from $35.
Loop Garms
#01-148, 635 Veerasamy Road FJ Sai and Isaac Ang, both 26, opened Loop Garms in February this year. Its speciality: buying, selling and trading ’80s and ’90s pop culture tees, sporting jackets, jerseys, windbreakers, bags, plaid pants, overalls, and even fishing vests. Fascinated by the thriving vintage scenes in Japan and South Korea, they started Loop Garms as “a way to pay homage to our passion for vintage clothes, and allow likeminded people to connect with one another”. Products are sourced via friends and other connections. To verify the authenticity of their goods, the duo research and “go beyond the clothes tags to understand the make, model, and origins of a product”. – RT
Loop Garms opens from noon to 7.30pm most days except on Wednesday, and closes for a week every month for restocking. Follow @loopgarms for updates.
