From Mood Board to Collaborations - How Sporty & Rich Became the Face of Nostalgia | A sabukaru Editorial
In the social media-driven world we live in today, it seems almost every page can be classified as a “mood board”. There’s almost a mood board for every topic, from fashion, cars, photography, you name it. In the oversaturated mood board era, it is harder than ever to stand out and be recognized by not only social media users, but brands as well. Sporty & Rich is a prime example of a mood board that broke the boundaries of what it means to be one.
Sporty & Rich is a brand that successfully bridged the gap between a health-conscious lifestyle with nostalgia-inducing fashion, well known in the athleisure world. The curator of this brand’s vision is influencer Emily Oberg. Originally from Calgary, Canada, she moved to New York in 2015 at the age of 20 to work as an editorial producer for the media company, COMPLEX. While working at COMPLEX, her charming personality allowed her to flourish as an interviewer, which heavily contributed to the growth of COMPLEX’s video platform. She then went on to be the creative lead at KITH. She currently wears many hats, being the owner of Sporty & Rich, a brand consultant for other companies, and a brand ambassador for products that align with her values.
While pursuing her busy career, in her spare time Oberg posted images of her favorite fashion editorials and interior designs from the 70s-90s which she had been fascinated with since her childhood. This carefully curated mood board she had been putting together on Instagram over the years became the basis of what Sporty & Rich is today. After releasing a few printed magazines based on the mood board, Sporty & Rich began offering their own clothing, which was inspired by the timeless photos & era their fans loved. In less than a decade, Sporty & Rich has grown into an environmentally conscious apparel brand that offers an elegant wardrobe for influencers and celebrities alike.
This collection marks the second time the LA-based athleisure brand is partnering with the three stripes. The previous collaboration featured many items, including a Samba with a bright green 3-stripe and contrasting gum sole, an ivory Stan Smith with a burgundy adidas stamp on the side, and a burgundy Campus 80s embellished with golden typeface. In addition to the sneakers, workout tees & tracksuits in the same colorways were also included in the collection, allowing for a simple yet elegant head-to-toe Sporty & Rich-meets-adidas look.
To celebrate the second collaboration between Sporty & Rich and adidas, sabukaru produced an exclusive editorial featuring Lina Ohashi, a loving mother & model. We strolled around the Togoshi area to capture the essence of Lina while she sported the new preppy Sambas & apparel from the collection. The bustling shōtengai and its colorful store signs made for a complementary backdrop for Lina and her self-styled wardrobe.
The Togoshi area is a perfect nostalgic-runaway located in the heart of Tokyo. A mere 15 minute train ride from the always-busy Shibuya, the area almost feels like a totally different prefecture. If Sporty & Rich had a Japan branch, Togoshi would be one of the first locations to appear on the page. Old building regulations prevent buildings from being higher than a certain number of floors, making the neighborhood rather flat, & allowing for a clear view of the city when in higher floors. We shot Lina in multiple locations around the neighborhood, from rooftops, streets, storefronts, and more. Check out our full editorial in the photos scattered through this article.
In this day and age, the internet and social media platforms seem to have accelerated the rate of "consumption" in various aspects of our lives. Sporty & Rich came into existence as if to take the hands of exhausted, contemporary consumers and take them back to the good old days. The brand’s success demonstrates that Oberg’s focus on health, happiness, environmentalism, & conscious consumerism has resonated with people worldwide.
What we can learn from Sporty & Rich is that if you express truly valuable ideas and timeless designs, even if they may seem to go against the grain, at some point, they will reach an audience that fits. The collaboration reminds us of the beauty of asking ourselves what is truly important to our lives, and finding the courage to express the answers we find through our work and lifestyle.
To see more content on the newest collaboration between Sporty & Rich and adidas, as well as an exclusive interview with Lina Ohashi about Sporty & Rich and their newest collection with adidas, head over to the adidas CONFIRMED APP. Be sure to get your hands on a pair of the new Sporty & Rich Sambas, as well as the full apparel collection.
Production: BIANCO BIANCO & BULLET
Photography: Yuki Hori
Make Up: KANAKO
Hair: Hiroki Kitada
Model: Lina Ohashi
