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Baseball's great return in contemporary streetwear

If three clues made a proof, after NBA basketball and football now it's time for baseball. Here's why

Baseball's great return in contemporary streetwear If three clues made a proof, after NBA basketball and football now it's time for baseball. Here's why

On this part of the ocean, we don’t know so much about baseball. There are enthusiasts, we know that, but looking at the number, you will find more easily someone willing to teach you all the crazy rules of American football instead of the ones of US’ most followed sport. In the States, in fact, baseball founds its roots in history, made by a ball, a glove, and an almost familiar relationship that all Americans have with this sport. 

The influence of baseball in American culture permeates also other aspects of the daily life, particularly - for us - fashion ones. If you think at the most widespread sports garment, you immediately think of the baseball cap - better if branded with the Yankees logo - that during the years has become a proper symbol of the sports casual, worn by everyone, of all contexts and ages. But the impact of baseball in fashion is way deeper thank some may think and, during the years, has been express in the most various ways. It’s also true the contrary: it looks like the iconic baseball socks have been launched in 1868 by Cincinnati Red Stocking to increase the team’s appeal level and attract more women to games.

But there are many examples: the Yankees during the Nineties have been the basis for comparison for every sports model with the ambition to a main role in the fashion system. Their brand, in fact, has become an identification for the whole city of New York and for something way bigger than an entire movement.

From time to time, baseball comes back with a certain insistence with the main streetwear brands’ releases. Supreme is maybe the most eloquent example. Every year it adds baseball-inspired shirts and jackets in its drops, and for that reason, the three baseball-shirt contained in the last two drop shouldn't be a reason for interest. But if you need three clued to make a proof, here’s another two. Champion’s return on the top has given to contemporary streetwear an “American refresh”. Champion recently worked with Stussy to a baseball-inspired capsule collection, with two shirts with baseball distinctive cut. The third clue is very recent: in its SS17 heritage collection, FILA has introduced a minimal baseball shirt, with a highlighted FILA logo where there usually are the team’s initials and the blue and red embroideries.

 

Now we have the elements to think about it properly: after basketball a few years ago, and after football in recent times, are we ready to embrace baseball as the dominant sport? There are some points in its favor of that: the tradition, the adaptability of baseball apparel to the daily life, but also many cons - mainly the lacking of diffusion of this sport. But we live in times when hype’s power is very strong, and if the appreciation of football - in an aesthetical way - worked in the US and Japan, this time could be the right time for the most impenetrable sport ever.