The €250 Tracksuit

This blog post has absolutely nothing to do with interior styling, decoration, or anything I usually share through INStyle.

But it has everything to do with me – Matt, the person behind the name of INStyle – and the values I stand for with every fibre of my being: fairness, equality, empathy, and human dignity.

The kind of society I want to live in – and the kind I try to build, even in small ways – is one where no one is judged by the colour of their skin, their bank account, their sexual orientation, or – in this heartbreaking case – their physical ability.

Earlier today, I watched the news and I

came across a video from the city of Santander in Spain. It was so disturbing that it was removed from every platform within 24 hours. Only a low-quality, softened version can still be found on YouTube. The footage shows a young boy with cerebral palsy being violently attacked by his peers. And yes, his attackers were wearing €250 tracksuits.

I own one of those tracksuits too. But I worked hard for it. It took me years to feel comfortable spending that kind of money on a piece of clothing. And I only wear it on rare, special occasions. If you’re into sports, you’ll understand – sometimes, there’s that one item you dream about, that you eventually earn and cherish.

But here's the difference – that tracksuit doesn’t give me power. It doesn’t place me above anyone else. It doesn’t define me. It’s simply a symbol of effort and patience – not entitlement.

I grew up during the war in Croatia. Back then, ketchup with roasted potatoes felt like a luxury. Meat was something you dreamed about. But what mattered was staying alive, staying together, and holding on to respect – something that was instilled in us from a young age, no matter the circumstances.

So I ask myself – who are the parents buying €250 tracksuits for kids who behave like this?

They are the ones to blame.

They failed to teach their children basic human values.

They allowed too much, gave too much, and demanded too little.

They weren’t present. They didn’t parent.

Bullying isn’t new. Many of us have lived through it – I certainly have. I never quite fit the stereotype of a "Balkan man", and I paid the price for that in many ways. But I never let it shape me into something bitter. I grew into a person I’m proud of – someone who values empathy over ego.

But I worry – are we living in a world where compassion and respect are going extinct?

Because if this new generation, dressed in €250 tracksuits, believes money equals dominance, if they feel nothing while hurting someone so defenseless... then we are heading in the wrong direction.

This wasn’t “classic” bullying. This was something far darker.

A complete lack of conscience.

An absence of humanity.

How have we reached a point where people measure strength by how easily they can break the most vulnerable among us?

And the saddest part?

In a few months, no one will remember. It’ll fade into the background of what we now call “the new normal.”

I cannot wait for the day when respect, empathy, kindness, and understanding become trendy again. Because without those things, we’re lost – as a society, as a species.

To Antonio – the boy in the video – I wish you a full recovery. Physically, emotionally, spiritually.

To your mother, who was too afraid to appear on camera – likely fearing retaliation – I send strength and solidarity.

To those who attacked you – I wish for you to someday feel what you made him feel. Not out of revenge, but in the hope that only through feeling it will you understand the weight of what you've done.

And to everyone else – I apologise for making this personal on the INStyle page. But as I said, this is bigger than me, bigger than design, bigger than aesthetics.

If we all stay silent, the world will become a far darker place – and faster than we think.

Matt

INStyle