For the Sports-Luxe Sartorialist, it’s all about fluidity and versatility – but with a distinctly luxurious edge. Formal and workwear become interchangeable with sports- and streetwear, with little distinction between dressed-up and casual looks. It’s quiet luxury at its most fun, with high/low mergers and a clear ‘if you know, you know’ attitude driving the success of key – yet often surprising – brands, pieces and silhouettes.

There’s an inherent androgyny to this look, which embodies the shifting, fluid face of youth-led gender neutrality. Its preppy base favours oversized tailoring, collegiate insignia, and classroom-ready accessories (like ties), which are mashed up with retro streetwear-led pieces, such as dad sneakers and sports memorabilia. Structured loungewear – like boxer shorts and shirting – become key across the board, giving this look an elevated but overall masculine-leaning feel that balances comfort with sophistication.

This cohort is resonating most strongly in cities across Europe – specifically in Scandinavia – as well as in New York and London. It also has a strong presence in Asia-Pacific, with many influential brands emerging from Japan and South Korea.

Sports have an immense influence on this group, regardless of the individual’s interest levels. In this way, sportswear has a hold on this cohort that goes far beyond the success or popularity of specific games or teams. However, basketball and football, as well as ‘old money’ activities like tennis and golf, are the most influential. In fact, streetwear content platform Hypebeast recently launched Hypegolf, where it sells golf apparel and accessories, and Italian label Miu Miu's recent Miu Miu Tennis Club event combined sports and leisure activities with a sportswear-inspired retail pop-up.

The prominent influence of workleisure-inspired looks among this cohort reflects their recent or impending entries into the workforce, and their desire to romanticise the experience and turn it into something aspirational. That said, the Sports-Luxe Sartorialists are seeking a work-life balance and need clothing that caters to both scenarios.

Similarly, they prioritise intellectual or educational practices – like reading and creative writing ­– so they’ll be active on websites like Goodreads, or online subcultures like BookTok and Bookstagram. They may also use upskilling platforms like SkillShare to develop creative talents and further explore new or existing interests.

This cohort also takes a casual approach to social media, preferring a community-based, shared-interest outlook to online networking, as opposed to crafting an ultra-curated persona. In this way, the Sports-Luxe Sartorialists may use quieter, inspiration-heavy online spaces like Pinterest, conversation-starting sites like Letterboxd, and will seek out more positive and uplifting content. Platforms such as ITV’s feel-good brand Woo and Instagram accounts like Muses of Now and Apartment Therapy all appeal.

For this cohort, influential brands span everything from unisex loungewear and dressed-up tailoring to streetwear favourites and preppy classics, with a cross-category focus on comfort and versatility.

Heritage, all-American labels with collegiate-style appeal (like Calvin Klein, Gap and L.L.Bean) experience a revival within this cohort, while Fred Perry occupies a similar space in the UK. But contemporary labels that give the preppy, sports-luxe look a modern (and more diverse) update drive this group’s evolution. Look to labels like South Africa’s Thebe Magugu; Japan’s Litmus Maison Nagoya; New York’s Head of State, Saint Sintra and Commission; Milan’s ATXV, Tel Aviv’s Aḍish, South Korea’s Kimhēkim, London’s Freya McKee and Moldova’s Fidan Novruzova.

Brands that merge office-appropriate attire with dressed-up everyday wear speak to the sleek, elevated minimalism so integral to this cohort’s style. Seasonless label Djerf Avenue – founded by Swedish influencer Matilda Djerf – is a key reference point. Other notable brands include Spain’s Moisés Nieto; Copenhagen’s OpéraSport; Australia’s Blanca Studio, and the UK’s Sage Nation and Sarah O Robinson; as well as established luxury-leaning labels like Tokyo’s Pleats Please Issey Miyake and Paris-based Rokh. Meanwhile, Japan’s Ryo Takashima and the UK’s Affxwrks and Arcs all blend tailoring with utility in a really fresh way.

Spanish labels are really leading the charge when it comes to this youth-led type of casual tailoring, thanks to their slow-fashion approach to manufacturing and their focus on new masculinities and menswear. Noteworthy brands include Neutrale, Mans Concept Menswear, Bleis Madrid and Carlota Barrera. Chinese designer Sean Suen also explores masculinity through tailoring in a similar way.

Smart and intuitive brand collaborations are integral to this cohort – specifically when it comes to streetwear and sneakers. New Balance has partnered both with ‘cool girl’ brands like Ganni and Miu Miu, and quiet, stealth-wealth streetwear labels such as Aimé Leon Dore (US) and Aries (UK), and Adidas’s recent collaborations with Wales Bonner (UK) and Gucci have made a huge commercial impact, while Nike has a sports-luxe partnership with French label Jacquemus. Also influential are comfort-focused yet historically unfashionable footwear brands like Asics (Japan), Salomon (France), Birkenstock (Germany), Crocs and Ugg (both US).

Finally, branded merchandise appeals massively to this cohort. Sports jerseys – particularly retro iterations or those from fashion-focused clubs like Venezia FC – hold influence, but so too do T-shirts and other memorabilia from prominent bands and musicians (again, with a heavy vintage focus). So zero in on popular artists (see the playlist below) for inspiration. Additionally, branded merch that’s both favoured by key influencers and has an elevated, grown-up edge holds huge commercial potential – like Shakespeare and Company tote bags and Chamberlain Coffee baseball caps.

Direct-to-consumer brands popularised through word-of-mouth recommendations and influencer endorsements are important to the Sports-Luxe Sartorialists, mainly because they promote a sense of community and belonging.

Like many young demographics, this cohort shops second-hand – both in real life and on online platforms like Depop, Vinted and eBay. Vintage also holds weight here – many members of this group are in the early stages of curating their own antique collections or archives, and have a magpie-like eye for good deals on designer labels like Prada and Miu Miu. In this way, curated vintage spaces like Spain’s Bintagged, London’s Nordic Poetry or Berlin’s Cop Me If You Can appeal to this cohort, as they’re sure to find brands and pieces that align with their tastes.

Newly launched New York-based auction app AC Momento is one to keep an eye on, as it partners directly with football clubs and players to ensure shoppers can access authentic, match-worn jerseys and other memorabilia.

Additionally, thanks to the influence of sports and streetwear on this group, there’s an element of exclusivity and prestige present in the Sports-Luxe Sartorialists’ second-hand shopping habits. Sneaker resale sites like Grailed, Goat and StockX are of interest, but so too are apparel brands that implement made-to-order manufacturing processes or work in limited-batch releases and seasonal drops. Djerf Avenue and sustainable New York label Mirror Palais fall into this category.

The aforementioned Swedish influencer Matilda Djerf is emblematic of this look, as are high-profile figures Bella Hadid, Kaia Gerber and Hailey Bieber, with their effortless blend of streetwear and luxury. American content creator and coffee entrepreneur Emma Chamberlain remains important thanks to her relatable persona and the wearability of her brand’s merch, while influencer-turned-poet Orion Carloto speaks to this cohort’s love of creativity and intellectualism.

In terms of creatives, Japanese stylist Akane Shiba is key for her edgy take on androgynous tailoring, while Swiss content creator Jessica Regina Garcia merges modern prep with a street-style twist. Stockholm-based influencer Julia Dang and London’s Deba Hekmat and Tori van Breugel embody a more retro sports look, while Highsnobiety’s London-based TikTok head Tora Northman’s apparel shots capture the changing face of office OOTDs. Elsewhere, British model and podcaster Danny Lomas puts a modern spin on retro prep, while American non-binary sustainability influencer Zach Thomas embodies the softer, quiet luxury at play within this group.

Athletes and sports personalities are also important to this group. Key influencers to note include Chinese-American skier and Louis Vuitton ambassador Eileen Gu, NBA star and men's skirts pioneer Jordan Clarkson, Hawaiian skateboarder-turned-actor Evan Mock, and Spanish footballer and Adidas collaborator Héctor Bellerín.

This cohort seeks out positive, empowering and uplifting content online and are consciously taking care of their mental health. So TikTok creators like Melissa Kerman, Jeff Guenther, Morgan May, Victoria Alario and Steven Hill (all US) - who teach their audiences how to build confidence and self-esteem through action-based yet humorous content - are all key.

Lastly, Paris-based photographers Marta Bevacqua, Sonia Szóstak, Robin Galiegue and Drew Vickers, as well as Copenhagen’s Casper Wackerhausen-Sejersen, perfectly capture the visual language and aesthetics of this sleek yet experimental cohort.

Our five-track Sports-Luxe Sartorialists playlist features Luna Li, JGrrey, Beach House, FKA Twigs and Steve Lacy.