This Berlin Fashion Week Show Made Sportswear Feel Surprisingly Uncomfortable

I’ve seen plenty of collections inspired by sportswear, but this one wasn't really about fashioning the perfect athlete. It was about questioning why we're all so obsessed with becoming one in the first place.

At Berlin Fashion Week, Argentine-founded label tHERAPY Recycle & Exorcise debuted its latest collection, "Dystopian Games. Deconstructing the Armour," and instead of celebrating performance, it challenged the pressure to constantly optimize ourselves.

The Collection Turns Sportswear Into A Protest

The runway featured 17 models, described as "players," wearing reconstructed athletic uniforms and shapewear that had been pulled apart, reshaped, and exaggerated into dramatic silhouettes.

I love that the collection doesn't use sportswear in the obvious way. Instead of making it look sleek and aspirational, the pieces feel restrictive on purpose. Corsetry sits alongside performance fabrics, while oversized proportions and distorted shapes make the clothes feel almost uncomfortable to look at. It's a clever reminder that fashion can question the ideals it's borrowing from, rather than simply celebrating them.

Upcycling Is Still At The Heart Of Everything

One thing that makes tHERAPY Recycle & Exorcise stand out is that the concept isn't just visual. Every piece is rooted in the brand's commitment to upcycling and circular design.

Rather than creating new textiles, the designers reconstructed existing sportswear and shapewear, giving materials that were once associated with performance and perfection a completely different purpose. I think that makes the message feel even stronger because the clothes themselves become part of the protest.

It's The Kind Of Show That Stays With You

Even if the silhouettes aren't something I'd wear myself, I always appreciate collections that make me stop and think about why certain aesthetics exist in the first place.

For me, Dystopian Games isn't really about athleticwear at all. It's about pushing back against the idea that we always need to be faster, stronger, thinner, or more productive. Wrapped up in sculptural upcycled fashion, that's a conversation that feels especially relevant right now.