Sports Fashion & Business: Lessons from the Basketball Runway | Forbes JAPAN

Roy Ward, President and CEO of PREGAME®.

Basketball’s hallways have become a new runway — where draft picks are showcasing their personal style as much as their athletic ability. I first noticed this change when I saw Victor Wembanyama’s forest green Louis Vuitton kimono-inspired suit generate as many headlines as his 6-foot-10 frame during the 2023 NBA Draft.

As the CEO of a company at the intersection of technology, sports, and fashion, I’ve closely watched how athletes’ style choices influence everything from product design to consumer behavior.

This phenomenon, which started with the NBA’s tunnel walk (entering a game venue), has exploded throughout the industry. Athletes like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Kyle Kuzma have turned their pregame entrances into fashion moments, helping their sports fashion Instagram accounts garner millions of followers.

Meanwhile, soccer cleats are all over town via TikTok’s #BootsOnlySummer trend, and NFL jerseys are now appearing on fashion runways. This is a fundamental shift in how consumers expect brands to help them express their identity. Smart business leaders are taking notice.

Style drives business results

Abercrombie & Fitch’s recent appointment as the NFL’s first official fashion partner is not an example of following a trend, but rather the NFL’s recognition of market realities. At the same time, the New York Liberty, despite modest on-court success, has garnered significant attention by becoming the WNBA’s most fashionable team, proving that cultural capital drives consumer loyalty more effectively than traditional performance metrics.

Beyond sports, in every industry, the pattern is clear: In a saturated market where functional differentiation is impossible, style has become one of the primary ways brands cut through the noise and create a lasting impression.

For example, some banks are redesigning their branches with a focus on welcoming atmosphere and Instagram-friendly aesthetics. Food companies can create viral moments through packaging design. And perhaps the best example is Apple’s design-first philosophy, which has helped create trillions of dollars in corporate value.

Why this matters beyond fashion

We have entered an era that can be called the “identity economy.” Consumers don’t just buy products; they buy products that reflect who they want to be. For example, when people buy activewear, they want items that reflect their personality, not just functionality.

This change is impacting every sector. Technology, financial services, food—in all sectors, consumers are demanding more expressive and personalized experiences. That’s why it’s no surprise to see traditional industry boundaries rapidly dissolving as sports, fashion and entertainment converge into one integrated lifestyle ecosystem.

In response, companies will need to rethink how they allocate resources, make decisions, and respond to consumers. I believe creative directors should have equal standing with CFOs in strategic decisions, which also means allocating more budget to design and user experience. Additionally, real-time consumer feedback will shape product development cycles, and partnership strategies should be considered beyond traditional industry boundaries.

Three strategies that work across industries

1. Build style into your brand; don’t make it an afterthought. Brands that win at this fusion integrate the aesthetic elements from the beginning. When customers see your brand as an extension of their identity, you’re building something sustainable. Adopting superficial fashion will fail. Because consumers instantly see the authenticity.

2. Move at the speed of culture, not the speed of the company.What felt fresh six months ago seems old today. Winners aren’t chasing trends, they’re anticipating how their customers want to be in the world. Invest in understanding the cultural signals that matter to your customers, not just profit margins.

3. Ask transformational questions: “How can we help our customers look and feel better?”This one question should drive innovation across product development, service delivery, and brand experiences. This is not a matter of vanity, but rather allowing for authentic self-expression.

game plan

• Start with an honest audit.Where can style integration enhance what you’re already doing? Don’t force it, find natural opportunities.

• Invest in creative talent.Allocate budget for design professionals alongside technical experts. They are no longer a ‘nice to have’, but essential for competitive differentiation.

• Develop cultural intelligence.Build a system to track style trends that are relevant to your customers. Understanding cultural movements before they reach the mainstream—therein lies the opportunity.

• Learn across industries.The sports fashion playbook can work in any sector if adapted thoughtfully. Study how other industries have successfully integrated aesthetic elements.

The point is this: Fashion is not about clothes. It’s about identity, desire and human connection. When you see soccer cleats becoming a streetwear staple and NFL jerseys making their way down fashion runways, you see the perfect marriage of style and substance.

As leaders in this sector, we understand that today’s consumers want products that are not only functional, but also express their individuality. Its insights apply whether you sell athletic wearables, financial services, or enterprise software.

I think companies that can master this convergence will dominate consumer engagement over the next decade. Companies that ignore it risk becoming commodity players in an increasingly style-conscious world.

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(Original text from forbes.com)