Whenever the term “fashion” comes up in a discussion, average minds think about ball couture gowns we are used to seeing on the runways of fashion week. But it is a term used to cover a wide variety of trends and styles. It is us who have limited the time to fashion couture. Athleisure fashion is a trend that revolves around sportswear or activewear clothing primarily used for physical exercise.
Activewear or sportswear consists of tracksuits, jackets, and footwear for training and sports. It has been seen lately that athleisure fashion is thriving compared to street fashion in a manner that was never thought possible in the fashion industry. According to Patrick Nilsson, the CEO of fashion brand Grant, athletic and sports companies are more about the consumer’s experience, and that is why they are prospering in the fashion business. He was the head of Adidas North America for seven years and had a lot to say about their winning game. He says that sports companies are seven years ahead of the fashion game and prioritize athletes’ experience more than just the feels of apparel.
In the era of the internet, it was important for sports brands to up their game for the purpose of staying in the game. They gave their best and received the best. Our lives have been revolving around influencers we see on Instagram. These influencers always seem to be fit because of the workout they do, and when work meets comfort plus fashion, athleisure fashion comes to the rescue. The most athleisure brand started their careers in the fashion industry in 2014 or so.
It is almost the same time when mental health was made an issue to consider, and people were made aware that physical exercise is essential for psychological and physical health. Many of them competed in a better version than now because, at the time, the athleisure industry was expanding, and brands had better chances to capture the market, but now almost all most of the market has been captured. In 2014, a reduction in the sales pattern of denim was seen, and at the same time, a rise in activewear sales was also seen. The sales pattern indeed directs us in the direction where activewear manufacturers started taking over fashion, starting with denim.
4 Major Reasons why People Choose Athleisure Fashion
1. Technological Advancements of Factories
Talking about how sportswear is made makes us aware of the fundamental manufacturing differences between sportswear and couture wear. While couture wear is a callous putting area of the fashion industry, it has less to with the comfort of the fabric and style than sportswear. Sportswear manufacturing requires a lot more technological items. For the production of activewear, microfibers, nanotechnology, and insulators are used. All of them have different purposes and are used to make the garment comfortable and breathable. Since 2014, activewear brands have started using unique designs to make their garments distinctive and attractive.
2. Designer Collaboration
Designing is an art in itself. It is not done effectively and efficiently by everyone. Some people are truly gifted with designing, and others try hard for it. Skill is as essential in today’s world as is science. And this fact was accepted by the sportswear brands at the right time. Many sportswear brands are seen collaborating with well-known clothing suppliers for their collections. This statement can be supported by the expected collaboration of Givenchy’s Ricardo Tisci designing capsule collections for Nike and Stella McCartney’s time-honored cooperation with Adidas.
3. Comfortable Clothes
Sportswear has been providing people with comfort for over a decade now. People have been longing for a brand that offers comfort and style side by side. This has been made possible since the start of collaborations of sportswear brands with famous designers. People who have been conscious about their image and status are not afraid to flex their comfortable yet chic sportswear even at their workplaces now. The thing which people were longing for has been made available for them to consume, and they are saying AMEN to the efforts of these brands.
4. Versatility
Activewear is not restricted to gyms, workouts, yoga places, or parks now. People own them as a trendy new style as they pair their favorite leggings with almost everything. People have been seen wearing black leggings as pants almost everywhere. Yoga pants may not be acceptable attires for corporate offices, but many corporate offices, including Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan, have made suits optional for male employees.
Such changes push other companies to change their laws relating to formal clothing for offices which supports the people to wear their activewear to offices and feel relaxed at their workplaces. Athleisure clothing has also inspired and changed our fashion shows as we can see models wearing sneakers under dresses or models wearing leggings with high heels. Fashion is taking a toll on sportswear, and we love the idea.
