FROM TRACK TO RUNWAY – SPORTSLUXE X FASHION - Contributed by Sarah Tramm.

Hi Everyone,Check out this interesting read on the rising popularity of the Sports luxe trend in Australia. A massive thank you to Sarah Tramm for taking the time to put together such an informative piece for us all to enjoy. xx Fashion and sportswear do not appear to be natural bedfellows, but a rising number of big-name designers such as Stella McCartney and Yohji Yamamoto are putting catwalk style into workaday sportswear.

Sports luxe is the trend of the moment and if you think about it, it makes sense for Australians – a sporting nation with an abundance of really good weather for swimming, surfing, paddle boarding, running and cycling. We take a look at the brands and designers who have dominated the merging trend.

NIKELAB X CHITOSE ABE          

NikeLab and sacai brings a feminine edge to sport classics through creative exploration, driving new and unexpected outcomes through collaboration.

A shared passion for innovation and a bold expression of style served as the driving force behind the collaborative process, bringing to life a new women’s collection that transforms classic performance icons into functional sport hybrids.

Renowned for her disruptive aesthetic, sacai’s founder Chitose Abe began the design journey by mining the Nike archives and pulling references from running and tennis, reinterpreting Nike’s heritage sportswear silhouettes through a feminine and modern lens. The resulting eight-piece capsule collection seamlessly blends the iconic look of sport with a feminine and modern edge.

“The idea of functionality is important to me, as is fabric innovation, which has always been at the heart of sacai” Abe said. “For me, Nike is an original icon with performance and innovation at its core. It has been inspiring to work together.” <

SUPERDRY X RUGBY Gloucester Rugby has joined forces with Superdry to create an exclusive range of authentic retro rugby shirts.

Inspired by vintage sports apparel and the classic varsity style, the lifestyle brand Superdry has teamed up with the club to launch a premium rugby shirt collection for Cherry and White fans and players.

Superdry co-founder and product and brand director Julian Dunkerton said: "Working with such a strong club is something that's close to my heart and, given the big year for rugby in the UK, what better way to support a local organisation than collaborating with Gloucester Rugby.

"Superdry specialises in premium sportswear, so it made perfect sense."

Inspired by the iconic styles of the 60s and 70s, the four-jersey collection has been designed with the rugby player in mind with sizes ranging from XS to XXXL. <

SHOREDITCH LONDON X TIM CAHILL Theatre of Dreams Shoreditch enlisted soccer star Tim Cahill back in 2014 to front its fall/winter 2014 campaign. Photographed by Steven Chee, the advertising campaign was inspired by the Australian athlete's journey to his third and final FIFA World Cup. Shoreditch and Cahill will also collaborate on a new line to be launched in 2015 titled Shoreditch by Tim Cahill. Cahill currently plays soccer for the New York Red Bulls, but can now add another string to his bow. Cahill said his reason for entering the partnership was that he knows that he won't be playing professional soccer forever. That's why he has branched out into an array of investments and businesses that can carry him over after life as a footballer, the latest of which is men's fashion brand, Shoreditch London.

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MARY KATRANTZOU X ADIDAS Mary Katrantzou is a Greek fashion designer who teamed up with adidas to present adidas Originals by Mary Katrantzou, a capsule collection of innovative apparel and footwear emblazoned in the designer’s iconic, hyper-colour, kaleidoscopic patterns. For adidas Originals, Katrantzou’s vision is translated in apparel and footwear with a feminine strength, distilling the essence of her graphic vision. Following on from her S/S14 collection printed with all manner of footwear, Mary Katrantzou has collaborated with adidas' achingly hip division, adidas Originals beloved by fashion and sports fans alike. The resulting collection is inspired by track shoes worn by medal winners from the 1970s and ‘80s and features everything from sneakers to apparel, all neoprene panels, mesh and textured tricot in electric hues, and bearing blown up prints of sports shoe details.