The image of a frail looking Fidel Castro in a trainer jacket receiving Pope Francis in his full regalia went around the world in 2015 – and obviously stuck with the curators of Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe’s new exhibition in Hamburg. The photograph features prominently in their show “Sports/No Sports,” which explores the decay of established dress codes, and the increasing influx of sports gear and looks not only into high politics but also high fashion.What initially sounds like a fun game of aesthetic juxtaposition is in fact an intriguing investigation into social history and a global trend towards more individualistic and androgynous social modes; not to forget the changing perception of the body. The evolution starts with the abolition of corsets, all the way to the new body ideal of the athletic physique and all the textile accessories that come with the process of attaining it.Designs by Issey Miyake, Tom Ford, Rei Kawakubo (for Comme des Garçons) or Hussein Chalayan, among others, are juxtaposed with vintage sports gear from the early 20th century – track shoes for the Olympic Games in 1936 by Gebr. Dassler Sportschuhe, the firm that would later turn into adidas, a 1921 riding suit, or a vintage leather cap for daredevil motorists, to name a few examples.Thematically organized, the exhibition reconstructs the evolution of the sports theme from a fashion historical point of view, starting with Coco Chanel and Jean Patou, who were the first designers to bring sporty looks to haute couture (as well as occasionally designing sports apparel themselves) to athletes such as Willy Bogner and René Lacoste who originated in sports and later established hugely popular fashion labels. Sports and youthfulness, body modeling and hybrid creations such as Tom Ford’s sequin jersey dresses or Hussein Chalayan’s designs for sports brand Puma complete the panorama.“Sport/No Sports” is the first exhibition in Germany to take a closer look at this phenomenon, a fun and informative exploration of a new sartorial “anything goes.”“Sports / No Sports” runs from September 2, 2016 through April 23, 2017 at MKG Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg. Click here for more information. Read more