It’s been years since I last found myself genuinely craving a sporty two-piece. Back in the day, I would’ve done anything for a blinged-out velour tracksuit, but after that phase faded, the appeal of tracksuits disappeared. Nowadays, most tracksuits make me feel like I’m auditioning for the role of Sue Sylvester on Glee.
Then, last year, I went to Shanghai for Fashion Week and witnessed the streetwear brand CLOT’s 20th anniversary show, which featured an unexpected collaboration with Adidas. That’s when I saw it: the only tracksuit in years to make my heart race. While tracksuits typically have a gym-class vibe, CLOT’s models looked like they were headed for a laid-back beach vacation instead. Their matching tops and shorts were adorned with the signature three stripes down the shoulders and legs, but instead of the typical stretchy cotton, they were made from crochet. It was sleek, fresh, and modern in a way I hadn’t seen before.
Backstage, I spoke with Edison Chen, who designed the collection. He shared his surprise that no one had tried something like this before. “It’s for everyone,” Chen said. “A woman can wear this! I can wear this!” The pieces were designed to be layered and versatile, and Chen emphasized the intent behind the see-through material: “It’s meant to be mixed and matched with other colors. It’s not just supposed to be black with black. We’re encouraging people to layer.”
Where many see the tracksuit as a casual uniform, Chen reimagined it as something relaxed, with less coordination and more creativity. The shoes, too, took a relaxed turn, with Gazelles made from espadrille fabric and stripes covered in beaded white details.
I ended up buying the crochet set in gray and wore it often throughout the summer. But unlike the typical sporty associations of a tracksuit, I never wore it for anything remotely athletic. Instead, it became my go-to bathing suit cover-up. Whether paired with a bikini top and crochet shorts or just the top with a one-piece, it was the perfect beachside outfit. I also wore it as a travel look, pairing it with a simple white tank for easy, breezy airport style. The pieces proved to be incredibly versatile, even when worn separately. The crochet shorts worked effortlessly with a more formal top, while the crochet top paired beautifully with wide-leg denim or a long trench coat, giving an unexpected edge to both outfits.
My boyfriend noticed how versatile the set was and quickly started wearing it too. (As Chen intended, it really was fun for the whole family.) He even packed it on a trip to Iceland, where he wore it on a nature walk in the snow-covered highlands for a wedding. Though it wasn’t exactly the tropical look Chen had envisioned, it showed the beauty of his reinterpretation of Adidas classics: they work anywhere, any time.
I hadn’t thought about wearing the set in colder weather, but my boyfriend’s unseasonal styling inspired me to try pairing the crochet shorts with tall boots and a turtleneck on warmer days. The top also worked with a classic trench and wide-leg pants. Somehow, I had gone from never wearing tracksuits to slipping them into my wardrobe more often than I ever expected. Tracksuits had made their comeback, but this time, they were cooler, more creative, and completely reinvented.
