Riccardo Tisci Thinks Sportswear Became Too Fashionable

Riccardo Tisci comes from an era of classic designers, but his sensibilities have always been leagues ahead of his peers. Growing up in a poor family in Southern Italy and starting his working life at 10 years old, his imagination went into overdrive. Tisci held the reigns as creative director of Givenchy for 12 years, which, in today’s climate of designer rigamarole, feels like an epoch. But really, it kind of was. Bringing in goth aesthetics, leggings under shorts and an unforgettable Rottweiler print, Tisci’s tenure at Givenchy set a precedent for the current era of luxury fashion houses producing sportswear as the norm. Now, the Italian designer, whose celebrity clout includes being friends with (and occasionally designing for) Kanye and Kim Kardashian, is collaborating with NikeLab, furthering a partnership that began 8 years ago. Inspired by the NBA, and created for a fictitious basketball team, the Victorious Minotaurs, this collection includes Oxford shirts (a first for Nike), track pants, and a reimagined edition of the Nike Air Force 1. Read more at Highsnobiety.