Johnson on Sports' Growing Influence in Fashion

The world of sports has officially taken over — and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere or slowing down anytime soon. Sports stars have become fashion’s favorite brand ambassadors and front row fixtures.

Ahead of this weekend’s World Cup final in New York between reigning 2010 champions Spain and 2022 champions Argentina after its defeat over England, Depop has seen an 821 percent increase in searches for “soccer” over the last three months. Since May, “ ” has seen a boom, with an 858 percent increase in searches, while “World Cup jersey” and “ jersey”/“football kits” have seen a 1,155 percent rise in searches and a 954 percent jump in searches since May, respectively.

Notably, Arsenal’s final appearance, and ultimate loss, in the UEFA Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain on May 30 saw searches for the London soccer club since May rise by 399 percent.

While overall sportswear has seen a consistent and massive uptick for general sportswear products — up 811 percent since April — some of the notable items and brands searched on the secondhand shopping platform in the last three months include Puma Speedcat (up 89 percent), Onitsuka Tiger (up 76 percent), vintage Nike (up 78 percent), Adidas (up 99 percent) and vintage New Balance (up 110 percent).

Post-Knicks historic win, basketball has also seen an uptick of 119 percent for searches in the last three months — with the team seeing an eye-watering 904 percent rise in search volume. And the WNBA craze continues to heat up with a 306 percent rise in searches over the last three months; New York Liberty searches also rose, by 147 percent, in the last three months.

In an exclusive interview with WWD, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, stylist and ’s trend spokesperson, sat down to chat about all things , which athletes she has her eyes on, why sports continue to resonate with consumers and more.

WWD: What do you attribute the rise of interest to in the intersection of sport and fashion, given all the global sporting events?

Gabriella Karefa-Johnson: We’re living in a moment where people are yearning for a sense of connection — and sports have always been at the core of bringing together communities. With so many avenues to engage with sports now, whether it’s traditional broadcasts, streaming or social media, the culture of sport exists more than ever before.

In tandem, style has infiltrated the sector because naturally every courtside seat, tunnel walk, podium moment and warm-up, i.e., Naomi Osaka, has become a consumable fashion moment. You can’t separate the spectacle from the style anymore; they’re intertwined.

WWD: How have fandom and sports taken over? How have you seen this rise and the evolution in fashion’s interest?

G.K.-J.: I’ve seen a big uptick in the intersection of sports and fashion over the years, from a fan-wardrobe perspective, which coincides with the resale economy boom and people looking to vintage.

More people are incorporating jerseys and merch into everyday styling, which has been integral in shaping how people are experimenting with street style. The question used to be “how do I dress this down?” Now it’s “how do I make this mine?” That shift is everything.

WWD: How did athletes’ collaborations with luxury brands, launching their labels and brand ambassadorships, contribute — alongside celebrity interest and major hit shows and movies related to sports fuel this?

G.K.-J.: Athletes have always had style, we just weren’t always paying attention. Or they weren’t given the platforms to flex it. What’s changed is that the infrastructure caught up to the style influence that athletes have always possessed.

Timothée Chalamet is celebrating the Knicks’ win shirtless and feral in a sea of New Yorkers, LVMH is sponsoring Formula 1 and Rei Kawakubo is sending jersey-adjacent looks down the runways. There’s a 360-degree infiltration of sports in style culture. Content creates desire and desire creates culture. And luckily, that alchemy ends up on Depop.

Generally, athletes represent fashion very well — that’s why we’re seeing plenty of collaborations and campaigns. While there’s something to be said about the hype, athletes wear clothing so well because of their confidence and their connectedness to their bodies.

There is an elegance and finesse to understanding your instrument well! And that translates through an image. It makes for an alluring, authentic advertisement. Plus, they have massive buy-in from equally massive followings. If it works for cereal, it will work for fashion.

WWD: What are your favorite sports teams? What sports stars are you eyeing right now? Which players have the best style?

G.K.-J.: The biggest star in sports is Ellie the Elephant, the mascot for the New York Liberty.

On the style front, and Venus Williams built the blueprint. They walked into predominantly white spaces with their beads and braids and completely redefined what was possible on the court and off it. We have never seen fashion factor in sport quite like how they did it.

Then there’s . I’ll be honest, hotness is a primary factor in my allegiances. I’ve been a “Drive to Survive” girl for a while now — but a Lewis Hamilton fan even longer. Talk about an athlete who pushes it as far as fashion goes.

WWD: With consulting on Rama Duwaji’s Miss Claire Sullivan look for the Knicks Parade, how did you work with New York’s first lady on a sports-inspired look?

G.K.-J.: I have been a fan of Claire’s for a while. She designs in a way that I knew would be engaging and intriguing to Rama. It really was a matter of time. Kismet, as Claire had just designed her upcycled Knicks moment.

WWD: What notable sportswear and vintage wear trends are you seeing on Depop? What types of pieces are you eyeing?

G.K.-J.: The numbers don’t lie. People are hunting for World Cup jerseys, vintage football kits and classic shorts. But what I find most interesting is that it’s not just about the team anymore. People are making editorial decisions about what they pick up.

They’re looking for rarity and high design — these are jerseys, but they’re also statement pieces. I’m also seeing an insatiable appetite for vintage activewear, the kind of thing that used to live in a gym bag now lives in a hyper-stylized outfit.

WWD: What do you see as the future for this sportswear and fashion intersection?

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