The Evolution of Biker Shorts

Let's find out together how a sporty item like Biker shorts became a cool trend worn from Lady Diana to Bella Hadid. Biker shorts or biker pants, beyond their use in sports, are an accessory used more as an outfit that complements not only sports outfits, but also, everyday wear. Comfortable and versatile biker-shorts do not go out of fashion, and are confirmed as an ideal garment for leisure street-style, and adored by Kim Kardashian, Kylie and Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber or Bella Hadid. There are countless brands and designers who offer this piece untethered from any form of sports reference. The consideration of the garment in the collections proposed during fashion shows or for all the minor brands on their e-commerce, is emptied by the idea that this item is only belonging to a sport, engaging in self-confidence and glam.

Before we see them on the catwalk or on all the instagram profiles of famous It Girls, it should be pointed out that biker pants, were born 80s, when the culture of body and aerobics began to spread. Here, bikers were mainly worn during sports workouts, but then they came out of the gyms and became a garment to be worn under oversized t-shirts and dresses as seen in 80s TV series in leisure time.  Lady D was the forerunner of athleisure-inspired sporty-chic looks, which we also find today in MiuMiu SS22 aesthetic and especially in the Tennis Club Saint Tropez capsule collection, but also in brands that exploded on Instagram during the pandemic such as Sporty & Rich and Pangaia, which recall sports uniforms with special attention to materials but especially to details such as logos and slogans that recall clothing for off times, a must-have shared by all celebrities. A much-discussed figure, but one with great social impact, Lady Diana anticipated biker mania, generating a sportswear trend par excellence, popularizing biker shorts in the 1990s, giving them iconic value. The impact on the social imagination when she appeared dressed like that was clearly incredible. Seeing those pants worn by the princess, implied almost veiledly, the spread of a 'wearable summer uniform for that circle of women embracing the concept of empowerment and self-confidence, giving way to independence from the social mores of the time.  Biker mania and the cycling pants trend, they are worn in both sporty and super glamorous total looks. 

From 2019 they return to the scene to then remain in the contemporary or current scenario with nuances that we would call microtrends. In fact, the biker core is evolving, and other accessories are being added in addition to shorts, such as biker sunglasses-the Balenciaga ones are among the most bought to date, and the most popular among it girls. Thus, versatile and functional outfits are created that are intertwined with cool and trendy fashion. On the runway, biker shorts first appeared in 2014, when Karl Lagerfeld, at Chanel 2014 AW fashion show and later also in the SS18 collections of Alexander Wang, Dion Lee, Dolce&Gabbana and Yeezy. In addition, Off-White also quotes Princess Spencer, repurposing Lady D's iconic look through a reinterpretation. In fact, Naomi Campbell wears during the closing of the SS 18 fashion show, a pair of ivory sporty cyclists and a white asymmetrical jacket.

Off the runways, on the other hand, are the street-styles of Kim Kardashian, Kyle Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, who as It Girl, ride the wave of Biker Shorts mania with different combinations. Of course, who but the queen of trends could be the "promoter" of the return of this 90s trend? Since 2018, Kim Kardashian has been repeatedly used to wear Biker Shorts. Thanks to Yeezy's aesthetic, which then led to the birth of the Skims empire for Kim, biker shorts have become a versatile garment that the celebrity wears with heels or sneakers to enhance her body shape, promoting self-confidence and her ex-bbl. Hailey Bieber has also been photographed several times wearing bikers, either in the sporty match variant with a sweatshirt or in the more glam version with a blazer, shirt and sneakers+socks. Open zipper sweatshirt, duffel bag, and of course biker shorts matched with sneakers and sunglasses, ideal for a super casual day away from the set for Bella Hadid. The model was recently photographed leaving the gym in New York, wearing braided biker shorts and vintage glasses, and a nice pair of Prada x Red Moon sneakers. Finally, among female colleagues share customs and habits: here is that even Kendall Jenner used to wear biker pants in the most classic version, comfortable for a simple walk or workout. Biker shorts with attached accessories are even used as a total look for advertising campaigns, without necessarily being defined as sportswear.