North America’s effect on West European fashion is often viewed only in relation to Hollywood and celebrity. However, its influence has been far more diverse, from technological inventions to leisure wear and the professionalization of the industry.

Australia prides itself on being a sporting nation, and sport is an integral part of the nation’s identity. Some say that it verges on being a religion, helping to build healthy Australian men, women, and young aspirants, and to spread the fame of Australians overseas. The combined effects of a temperate climate and rugged landscape have produced a national psyche that privileges the strong, outdoor-oriented, sports-loving body—yet a body clothed in sportswear for the most part similar to that wo