When you think of the Simone Rocha girl, “sporty” is not the first adjective that comes to mind. But for her fall/winter 2026 show, the designer rode the athleisure wave, collaborating with Adidas on coquettish versions of brand staples, like track jackets with a pearl zipper pull or shin-guard-like socks embellished with crystals and embroidery.
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Rocha’s runway played host to an elevated version of the “blokecore” trend, just one of the ways that fashion is incorporating sport in a more undone, casual way of late. Matching sets, leggings, and other totems of athleisure have been on the way out for some time, replaced by unexpected, off-kilter combinations and a focus on natural fibers. It’s just another facet of the way the style set has been rejecting orderliness and perfection.
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Outside the gym, that translates to street style that mingles jock influences with more traditionally feminine touches. Just in time for the World Cup to take over our screens and feeds, soccer jerseys are being worn with petticoat-like flounces, or sleek sneakerinas ground a tiered dress. Olivia Rodrigo paired her FC Barcelona jersey, part of her collaboration with Spotify, with ruffled bloomers.
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That style will extend to the stands, it seems. Pinterest’s summer trend report focuses on sport-inspired fashion, showing that searches for “baddie tracksuit outfit” are up 276 percent, while “World Cup jerseys” have jumped by 840 percent. Also on the rise: searches for pairing jerseys or tracksuits with heels, suggesting that sports gear is being integrated with dressier pieces. While the soccer jersey may be the hero piece of the season, says Sydney Stanback, Pinterest’s global trends and insights lead, “What’s most interesting is how people are styling them. We’re seeing jerseys layered over bubble skirts, cropped, tucked into cargos, and styled with going-out accessories in ways that feel elevated and personal.”
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Rocha wasn’t the only runway habitué to strike an active note: Willy Chavarria showed pieces from his Adidas collaboration on the runway, while the Colombia-based brand MAZ, designed by Manuela Álvarez, also linked up with the sports giant, this time bringing Álvarez’s craft-forward aesthetic—think beading and fringe—to the pitch. (As an official sponsor of the event, expect Adidas to be everywhere come kickoff.) Farm Rio has rolled out a World Cup souvenir capsule, “Together We Play,” consisting of T-shirts, caps, accessories, and pieces in the team colors of its home base, Brazil. Meanwhile, the fashion cred of the event itself continues to snowball: Loewe will dress the Spanish team, while Gabriela Hearst is designing the uniforms for Team Uruguay.
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Celebrities like Dua Lipa and Addison Rae have been sighted in soccer jerseys, but according to Stanback, “athletes themselves are increasingly leading the conversation. The WAG aesthetic is still very present, but it’s taking a footy twist with searches for ‘Georgina Rodriguez aesthetic’ up 225 percent.” Team apparel also brings a sense of belonging in an increasingly atomised world, a way to feel like a part of something bigger even if you’re one of thousands in the arena. “It’s become less about dressing like a fan,” she says, “and more about building an identity.”
This article was first seen on ELLE US.