Surfing, Cycling and Scuba-diving wear for spring

Sportswear returns for spring 2010

January 27 2010 : Surfing, cycling and scuba-diving wear is the cool look for spring, as long as you don't actually work out in it, says Emma Sibbles.

After last season’s sharp shoulder Eighties’ revival, the Nineties are now ripe for a remake. This spring, sportswear hits the big time, but this isn’t about working out – although having a gym-sculpted body will certainly make the ranges easier to wear. The most visible piece to make a comeback is the tracksuit trouser, but the trend also encompasses hooded jackets, jersey sweaters and even cycling shorts, all given a luxury spin by designers for the new decade.

Luxe sportswear is the catch-all term for utility, skater, surfer, American football and street style. Expect an excess of perforated leather, mesh inserts, peep-toe heeled hiking boots and Lycra. Function and practicality are back, as designers try to define a new mood of simplicity.

Surfing Wear 2010

The catwalks were awash with sports references. Alexander Wang flew the flag for American football with grey sweatshirts, a varsity-inspired cardigan and athletic socks. Nicolas Ghesquiere at Balenciaga was inspired by motocross, with leather biker trousers featuring reinforced knees and soft, sculpted leather-hooded gilets. Meanwhile, models at Bottega Venetta donned white hairbands that were part-karate, part-Wimbledon.

Glamorous surfers were the inspiration at Jonathan Saunders (models stepped out with wet-look hair as though they’d just climbed out of the pool), Proenza Schouler (neon dresses and trackpants) and Prada (long board shorts and tropical palm prints). The water-babe theme continued at Gucci, its scuba-inspired tops and dresses featuring neoprene, sports mesh and harnesses to create a deep-sea diver meets Bond girl aesthetic, and Julien Macdonald, who showed body-con racer-back gowns with sheer panels. And after appearing at Marc Jacobs and Giorgio Armani, cycling shorts look set to give leggings a run for their money – wear them if you dare. Accessories-wise, cross-body bags are the new It-shape; at Louis Vuitton, they were teamed with bumbags for a trekking vibe.

Cycling Wear 2010


This casual, relaxed mood feels right for spring. It’s easy and accessible, as Parisian designer of the moment, Isabel Marant, knows well. Marant kick-started the trend with her grey marl cuffed sweatpants for spring 2009, worn with a relaxed T-shirt and a stone-coloured trench. The look was swiftly adopted as the fashion pack’s new uniform.

But, be under no illusion that this trend is about actually being relaxed – pulling your old gym kit out of the back of your wardrobe simply won’t cut it. This look is the grown-up, sexier version that you could wear in the office. Trackpants should be silk or jersey, in a muted, pastel colour. Look for drawstring waists, cuffed ankles and wear them with heels to avoid any Waynetta Slob comparisons. Finish with a blazer to keep the look smart. Celebrities like Rihanna and Cheryl Cole have embraced them, with the latter wearing slashed, silky trackpants to perform on The X Factor last year.

Scuba-Diving Wear 2010


Avoid midriff-flashing, cut-off tops, unless you look like Gisele. Sheer panelling is a friendlier way to hint at exposure without having to put your flesh on show. For an instant update, embrace a neon palette , roll up your trousers or layer a cropped jumper over a longer vest.

If you’re feeling adventurous, swap your leggings for cycling shorts worn under a dress or skirt, as at Giorgio Armani, with just an inch or two peeping below the hem. Avoid wearing them alone unless you are actually training for the 2012 Olympics, and leave the bumbag to the catwalks. And remember, a good rule of thumb is that if you could actually work out in these clothes, you’ve missed the point.

Sri Lanka Election result declared

Sri Lanka president Mahinda Rajapaksa wins re-election.

January 27 2010 : President Mahinda Rajapaksa has won Sri Lanka's first election since Tamil Tiger rebels were defeated after 25 years of civil war.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has won Sri Lanka's first election since Tamil Tiger rebels were defeated after 25 years of civil war.
Although the final results are yet to be declared, Mr Rajapaksa appears to have won more than half the votes cast.

About 100 armed troops have surrounded the Colombo hotel where his election rival, Gen Sarath Fonseka, is staying.

A government spokesman told the BBC they did not intend to hold Gen Fonseka but were looking for army deserters.

A military spokesman said their deployment was a "protective measure".

Udaya Nanayakkara said that some 400 people had gathered inside the Cinnamon Lake Hotel in the capital.
"We don't know what is their motive and, as a protective measure, we have deployed troops around the hotel, and people who go in and come out are being checked," he said.

Gen Fonseka said he feared the troops planned to arrest him if he won the election, a claim denied by officials.

With nearly 85% of the vote counted, the Elections Commissioner gave Mr Rajapaksa 4.99 million votes to 3.39 million for his rival.

Some 70% of the electorate of just over 14 million turned out to vote.

State-run Rupavahini television reported that the incumbent president had won a decisive victory, with a majority of more than 1.8 million votes.

Under Sri Lanka's electoral rules, if no candidate wins 50% of ballots cast in the first count, then voters' second - or even third - preferences are tallied to determine the winner.

Charles Haviland, in Colombo, says it is probably only a matter of time before Gen Fonseka's team concedes, but the opposition may raise certain objections as to how the election campaign was conducted.

Independent observers have been perturbed by two main elements, our correspondent says, one of which is the amount of violence in the run-up to the election - with most complaints about the perpetration of violence laid at the door of the president's side.

The other is what monitors say is the misuse of public resources and state media.

State TV in particular gave blanket coverage to Mr Rajapaksa, our correspondent says, with Gen Fonseka more or less a footnote, and public buses were used to ferry around the incumbent's campaign material.

The government has said it paid for the use of the buses and other state resources but the independent election monitoring bodies are not convinced, our correspondent says.