Sportswear
Sportswear photography has to do something most fashion work doesn't — keep up with an athlete actually performing. On Visie, that craft spans campaign and action photography for marques like Adidas, Puma, New Balance, and Under Armour, often shot at high shutter speeds to freeze motion mid-performance.
This week's top Sportswear projects
This week's top Sportswear projects, carefully handpicked by Visie's expert curators, showcase the best in style and innovation.
Reebok · Belmont Cameli
Reebok highlights its athletic footwear in this commercial spot, Belmont Cameli. The production centres on a dance rehearsal taking place on a theatre stage, featuring performers in athletic apparel and white sneakers executing precise choreography. Directed by Zachary Shea with cinematography by Natasha Abdul, the film channels a cinematic, low-key aesthetic. The visual narrative leans into chiaroscuro and moody lighting to emphasise footwork and rhythm, while the presence of a director in the audience frames the rehearsal environment. Creative direction for the campaign was provided by T. Abbo, with production led by Shotclock and talent Belmont Cameli performing in the lead role.
Project Nike · Nike Atelier
Nike Atelier explores the intersection of high-performance sportswear and editorial fashion photography. Featuring athlete Sha'Carri Richardson, the project centres on sculptural compositions and material contrasts, often utilizing low-key chiaroscuro lighting to emphasize the textures of technical mesh, crackled leather, and organic elements like ice. Photographer George Morris leads the visual execution, supported by art direction from Alice Lairy and Yarheine Lima. The production design, managed by Rosco Production, features environments constructed by Rachel Thomas Studio with makeup by Athena Paginton and hair styling by The Lace Bandit. The series maintains a consistent focus on raw, desaturated palettes and clean, monochromatic portraiture.
Project On · Zendaya
On presents a campaign featuring Zendaya that highlights the intersection of performance sportswear and urban architectural aesthetics. The project is directed by Spike Jonze with cinematography by Jasper Wolf, utilizing a desaturated palette and natural light to emphasize the raw textures of industrial concrete and moody, overcast settings. Fashion styling and creative direction by Law Roach inform the look, featuring technical anoraks, patterned athletic track sets, and lightweight performance wear. The imagery relies on live-action technique and analogue film textures, framing the talent in dynamic, candid motion against expansive cityscapes and minimalist, sculptural backdrops.
Project Adidas · Adidas x Lionel Messi: La Última
Adidas presents "La Última," a sports fashion campaign featuring athlete Lionel Messi. The project captures the athlete in a series of vertical portraits, balancing commercial sportswear aesthetics with an editorial approach. Photographed by Diego Bendezu, the work utilizes moody, low-key lighting and a rich blue color palette to frame the subject. The imagery alternates between studio portraits against desaturated, textured backgrounds and compositions incorporating the Argentine national flag. These shots highlight technical apparel details, including soccer jerseys and tracksuits, through a mix of clean, natural light and directional, high-contrast studio setups.
Project footballer Désiré Doué · Brand Identity
This brand identity project explores the intersection of professional sport and bespoke tailoring for footballer Désiré Doué. Conceived as an exploration of the Nike Atelier, the imagery documents the technical process, from fabric measurement and marking to the final construction of garments. The visual approach relies on high-contrast monochrome and clean, minimalist studio settings to emphasize material textures and structural details. Techniques including long-exposure motion blur and low-key chiaroscuro lighting are utilized to create a dynamic, backstage atmosphere that contrasts with the static, editorial focus on apparel and footwear. Design by Convoy.
Adidas · The Ants
Adidas presents 'The Ants,' a cinematic commercial project that anchors its narrative within the atmospheric confines of a classic, wood-paneled billiard room. Directed by Alessandro de Leo, the film captures the interplay between character and setting, featuring appearances by Kimi Antonelli and Anthony Edwards. Creative direction by Demetrio Chirico and Alessandro Pomè utilizes warm tungsten interior lighting and natural light to emphasize the textures of the space, from vintage newspapers to the green felt of the tables. Director of photography Andrea Gavazzi employs a grainy, analogue film aesthetic to define the project's visual identity, grounding the sportswear brand in a highly tactile and intimate environment.
MERRELL, YMC · Kite!
The Merrell x YMC collaboration, titled Kite!, presents an outdoor sportswear campaign centered on a quiet, contemplative exploration of movement within a natural landscape. The film moves through a sprawling grassy meadow, where subjects engage with the environment under an expansive, overcast sky. Directed by Alexander Ingham Brooke, who also served as director of photography, the project utilizes a raw, cinematic aesthetic. Art direction by Yachub Webb and creative direction by Sage Toda-Nation anchor the visuals, which leverage a grainy texture and natural lighting to emphasize the tactility of the outdoor setting and the technical garments in motion.
Nike · Play With Fire
Nike’s 'Play With Fire' campaign features a cinematic commercial spot directed by Arno Salters and shot by cinematographer Kai Saul. The film captures athlete Carlos Alcaraz on an indoor tennis court, accompanied by artist Travis Scott, who appears in the umpire chair. The production leans into a moody aesthetic, utilizing low-key lighting and chiaroscuro techniques to heighten the atmosphere. This live-action work was produced by Iconoclast TV with creative development led by agency Wieden+Kennedy Portland.
Project Alo · Fall 2026 Bag Campaign
The Fall 2026 Bag campaign for Alo features a series of studio portraits captured by photographer Steven Meisel. The imagery highlights the integration of luxury leather accessories with technical activewear, utilizing a clean, high-key aesthetic to emphasize form and utility. Models Amelia Gray, Candice Swanepoel, Ming Xi, Natasha Poly, and Daiane Sodré appear across the campaign. Each frame leverages studio lighting to maintain a polished, editorial look, incorporating athletic props like suspension ropes and bungee cords to frame the featured duffel bags, totes, and drawstring handbags.
Project Zara · Zara Athleticz + Ridar 26
Zara Athleticz and Ridar 26 present a technical sportswear collaboration centered on performance apparel and athletic gear. The campaign, captured by photographer James Brodribb under the creative direction of Gorka Sorozabal, balances sterile studio portraiture with high-action outdoor training imagery. Featuring styling by Ruben Vazquez and model Hyuk Kim, the project utilizes high-contrast monochrome tones and grainy textures. The visual language shifts between low-key chiaroscuro studio setups and energetic, natural light shots that emphasize motion and technical form.
Project Alo · ALO FALL 2026 x JISOO
The Alo Fall 2026 campaign marks a sophisticated evolution in the sportswear brand's visual identity, featuring global entertainer Jisoo in an aesthetic that leans into effortless, elevated movement. Captured through the lens of photographer Hong Janghyun, the imagery eschews aggressive performance tropes in favor of a polished, lifestyle-focused narrative that emphasizes versatility. The campaign leverages soft light and natural light to create an airy, clean environment, allowing the pastel color palette of the collection to anchor the composition with understated elegance. Jisoo’s direct, neutral gaze combined with the clever use of architectural reflection creates a sense of intimacy rarely achieved in high-volume athletic marketing. This commercial execution benefits significantly from the cohesive beauty direction provided by makeup artist Lee Nakyeum and hair stylist Iljung Lee, who ensured the aesthetic remained consistent with current fashion trends while maintaining an approachable, everyday appeal. With production handled by Lee Kyung Kim and meticulous detail provided by manicurist Park Eunkyung, the project functions as a masterclass in modern brand storytelling. By seamlessly integrating performance-wear staples like ribbed sports bras and lounge-ready sweatpants into an editorialized space, Alo successfully positions its latest collection as both functional attire and a quintessential expression of contemporary style, proving that the intersection of high fashion and technical sportswear remains a powerful, evolving frontier.
Alo · Kylie Jenner
Alo leans into a refined equilibrium of performance and serenity in this latest campaign featuring Kylie Jenner. The project successfully navigates the intersection of sportswear and high-end fashion, moving beyond traditional activewear tropes to establish a meditative, wellness-centric narrative. Under the sharp creative vision of directors Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, the commercial production adopts a rhythmic, minimalist visual language that elevates the brand’s signature silhouettes. By pairing clean, polished portraits with quick, deliberate cuts and evocative nature-inspired B-roll, the edit creates a sensory experience that feels both grounded and aspirational. Jenner serves as a poised anchor throughout the montage, her sleek, wet-look styling reinforcing the campaign’s commitment to a fresh and focused aesthetic. Through a sophisticated live-action technique and the intentional use of slow motion, the work highlights the versatility of the apparel—from the branded tank tops to the tailored shorts—while maintaining a serene atmosphere that prioritizes self-care. The result is a masterclass in modern lifestyle marketing, where the deliberate pace of the cinematography allows the premium nature of the collection to resonate without distraction. This campaign does not merely display products; it invites the viewer into a carefully curated, minimalist world where movement, nature, and personal wellness coalesce into a single, cohesive brand identity.
Top Sportswear brands
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