Sport Luxe

So the roller coaster summer of sport has just about come to a grinding halt; but what has been left over from the dizzying heights of the Great British Olympic foray?

After all the dodgy tracksuits, Lycra skin tights and luminous trainers that were paraded around the Olympic stadium, the bright colours and wacky styles have faded away, leaving us with Sports Luxe; a look inspired by glitz, glamour and incredibly fast human beings.

So what's the most important thing in sport? A trendy haircut? A full sleeve with as many inspirational quotes as you can fit on? No. The answers trainers, making them the most important part of a Sport Luxe image. Take a look at some of our favourite styles, and get a bit of advice on what to wear them with along the way.

Cruyff

Not many brands have made such a swift and classy progression from sportswear to fashion than Cruyff. Football inspired styles carrying the name of one of the greatest players the game has ever seen result in some of the slickest Sport Luxe trainers in the field.

Take a look at the Alano, above in black and below in blue. Styled with a slimmer profile, they are ideal for wearing with skinny or slimmer fitting jeans. Patent around the toe, a mesh body, leather tongue and suede heel offer you pretty much every material available for shoes under the sun. The patent detail adds a flash of luxury, whilst the infamous Cruyff signature sits proudly on the side next to 'Recopa' tabbing. Chuck all this together and you get one classy shoe, sensible and understated, with just the right amount of show off. A bit like a good footballer really.

The next style to consider from Cruyff is the Battista- a chunkier style with a wider profile, these are perfect for straight or loose jeans, or for those who want to make a statement in slimmer jeans with chunky trainers. Shown here in black, the sole contrast looks amazing on. The patent effect runs from the toe to the front quarter and up either side of the tongue and also features on the heel. Cruyff branding features on the heel and on the laces tab, as well as with a tonal logo on the side. This shoe is the ultimate in subtle Sport Luxe- looking slick in black with the right stuff to get noticed.

Like the style but not the details? Have a look at the Pelota. The quilting on the side oozes luxury- whilst the 'Recopa' tabbing keeps the sporting heritage alive. This style is definitely more Chelsea than Accrington Stanley.

Paul Smith

The daddy of British fashion comes good once again in his Paul Smith footwear range. This season even includes one Sports Luxe style with that traditional Paul Smith twist we all know and love.

Sum these trainers up in one go and it'd be 'Flash'arry'. We love the textured leather used on the body of the shoe, and the patent stripe down the side to set it off. Tabbing on the laces with the Paul Smith signature provide a bit more obvious branding- as if the infamous Paul Smith stripe round the heel wasn't enough. These are the perfect jean trainers; they will go with pretty much any fit-just make sure it's a dark denim.

Luke

Everyone's best mate from up north, Luke has provided us all with a bit of classic style and innovation for a long old time. This season's footwear range includes some fresh materials with some brilliant colours.

Patent, quilting,suede and leather blend together to create this Sport Luxe beauty from Luke. Finished with the Luke lion on the side, this trainer offers a slimmer profile, perfect for wearing with tapered style jeans. Available in white and purple, don't be afraid to try a braver colour and draw a bit more attention to your feet.

Don't forget, you can always link these trainers with track suits for a full Sport Luxe look, or try some retro sporting heritage pieces by Adidas.

Ryan J Gray