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Mike Sykes

Sports and Fashion Correspondent

Mike Sykes is the Sports and Fashion Correspondent at the Business of Fashion. He is based in Washington, D.C. and is laser-focused on covering the sportswear world where it intersects with fashion, tech and more. He founded the Kicks You Wear newsletter in 2019 to bring that coverage to life. Previously, he worked as a sports reporter and editor for USA Today's For The Win. He has a Bachelor's in Communication from Bowie State University and a Masters in Digital Media from American University.

    Sports

    Nike’s Impressive Speed Play

    The launch of Nike’s new Vegum Run shoes exclusively in India lays a groundwork for a new production cycle that could give the brand a leg up in its different geographies moving forward.


    Sports

    Why Nike Can’t Find Its Next Hit

    A muted comeback for the ‘Royal’ Air Jordan 1 exposes cracks in Nike’s turnaround effort. BoF’s Mike Sykes joins Sheena Butler-Young to unpack why scarcity alone won’t save Jordan brand and what it will take for Elliott Hill’s Nike to feel essential again.


    Sports

    How Asics Has Become Sportswear’s Exception

    Despite struggles in the sportswear industry, Asics has maintained its momentum so far in 2026. Asics president and chief operating officer Mitsuyuki Tominaga explains how the company turned things around over the last decade and how it’ll keep moving forward.


    Retail

    Beyond Hype: Scarcity Shoppers Can Believe In

    Brands are finding success with products that are scarce because of real constraints, such as the materials and craftsmanship involved, as consumers tire of chasing limited drops engineered to sell out.


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    Sports

    What Will Be the Next Sneaker Franchise?

    Investors are looking for sportswear’s next hit product as the Adidas Samba craze loses steam. Adidas, Puma and Vans-owner VF Corp will have a chance to sell them on what’s next during their respective earnings calls this week.


    Sports

    How High Can Adidas Climb?

    Adidas’ preliminary earnings report shows that the brand is still growing at record rates. How long can it keep it up?


    Sports

    A Critical Gut Check for Sportswear

    The next two weeks will be a bellwether for sportswear as a run of earnings reports are published by some of the industry’s giants.


    Sports

    Why Every Brand Wants to Be Everything for You

    Vuori’s new womenswear edit features vintage denim, cashmere sweater tops and suave outerwear pieces, moving the brand beyond its activewear roots. We’re seeing this trend more and more across the fashion spectrum.


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    Sports

    Has Nike Done Lasting Damage to Jordan Brand?

    Nike is reducing the number of Jordans it puts on the market as it tries to restore the brand’s exclusivity and pull it out of a slump. Experts say it will take more than reducing supply to fix the problem.


    Sports

    Can Culture Still Move the Needle in Sportswear?

    At a time when Nike and Adidas are doubling down on sports and athletes, Under Armour is leaning further into partnerships with entertainers and influencers like Twitch streamer Rakai, whose first shoe with the brand drops this week.


    Sports

    Fashion Brands Are Giving Women’s Sports Merch a New Look

    Brands such as J.Crew, Tuckernuck, and Pacsun are collaborating with sports labels and organisations to create products for women that look more like fashion than your standard sports merchandise with a team logo.


    Sports

    Where Can Nike Find Its Next Halo?

    When Nike is at its peak, there’s usually a central product that gives it a cultural resonance that no other brand can touch. Typically, that’s come from Jordan Brand’s retro business. With that no longer working, let’s talk about where the brand can turn.