MILAN, Oct 23, 2006/ FW/ --- With every new sport comes a new fashion and the latest sport to hit the market is Parkour, bringing with it a new style and new street trend.

Historically speaking, this has always been the case with the introduction of a new sport. Basketball, which was invented in 1891 by Canadian physical education instructor James Naismith while teaching Springfield College (which was then the Y.M.C.A. training school), has always had it’s own style that has circulated in and out of the high fashion world.

Surf later on made it’s mark creating it’s own beach hippy look that worked it’s way slowly from the streets to the runway. There is no doubt about it with the birth of a new sport comes the creativity for new fashion that eventually influences things outside of the sport world.

Parkour is the “in” sport already hot and influential in France where it originated. On October 21st, at the Osram Parkour World Meeting Milano, demonstrations and lessons were held to get a better understanding of what exactly is Parkour.

Parkour, which in an advanced level is called Traceur, is basically reaching your destination elegantly, efficiently and with out assistance. Kind of like acrobatics in the city using what ever is in front of you as props to jump, flip and fly off of until you gracefully meet your destination. The sport is hitting it hard on the streets and there is yet to be found a brand to define the new style.

Parkour has a definite street style with loose clothes to allow for maximum movement. The shoes need to be a mix for running and gripping and easy movements. Sneakers at the moment are doing the trick but the white meshes and clean-cut styles are functional but not fashionable.

Clothes for the moment are a mélange to help meet the athletes’ needs. Sweet bands are one of the only strong statements at the moment with two to an arm, one mid bicep the other at the wrist.

The sport is sure to get bigger and the already pulsing influence will soon reach its tipping point. French creator of Parkour, David Belle, has already been hitting it up big. He’s in a new film “Banlieu 3”, and collaborated on the Madonna video “Hung up”, so we can be sure there is only more to see of him.

They say fashion comes from the streets, well here if you pay attention you can watch it happen.

For more information about parkrour, please log on: www.parkourwm.com