Male athlete in a light long-sleeve running shirt and dark shorts resting with hands on his knees along a curved road.

Monochrome shot of a man resting in a long-sleeve athletic performance shirt in a rocky outdoor landscape.

Monochrome high-angle shot of a lone runner moving down a winding asphalt road flanked by rugged hills and traffic signs.

Clément Laguardia wearing a white technical shirt and lime green athletic shorts leaning against a textured wall outdoors.

Monochrome back view of a man with water droplets running down his bare skin, holding his neck against a textured wall.

Macro black and white close-up of textured fingertips coated with white chalk dust highlighting detailed fingerprint ridges.

Shirtless male athlete stretching with his legs against a white ledge overlooking the ocean in lime green UVU running shorts.

Monochrome view through a wire fence of a man seated outdoors wearing a white patterned athletic running shirt facing distant mountains.

A male runner in a long-sleeve athletic top and running shorts sits resting on an asphalt roadside curb.

Athlete wearing white UVU athletic shirt and black shorts lying on tiled ground with legs propped up against a pink textured wall.

Various Editorials UVU - Summer Sport 2026

About

In the UVU Summer Sport editorial, photographer Matthias Leidinger captures the intersection of human endurance and stark, cinematic landscapes, moving beyond the traditional constraints of commercial sportswear imagery. By focusing on the raw, tactile experiences of an athlete—marked by perspiration, the grit of an asphalt road, and the intricate geometry of fingerprints—the series leans into an aesthetic of disciplined exhaustion. Through a blend of high-key natural light and moody, low-key chiaroscuro, Leidinger explores the physical form against both arid desert terrains and distressed urban backdrops. Model Clément Laguardia embodies this vision, his poses ranging from the contemplative stillness of a post-run recovery to dynamic, conceptual movements that highlight the technical details of the UVU collection. Utilizing 35mm film and analogue techniques, the work adopts a gritty, grain-heavy texture that grounds the high-performance garments in a visceral, fine art reality. This project succeeds by treating the human body as an extension of the rugged environment, prioritizing shadow, contour, and skin texture over the standard marketing polish. It is a masterclass in minimalist fashion editorial, where the technical focus on fabric and form creates a compelling dialogue between the athlete and the vast, often desolate spaces they inhabit, resulting in an evocative and sophisticated narrative that elevates the sportswear brand into a realm of pure, unadulterated aesthetic exploration.