Trend Alert: More Fashion Brands Are Creating Activewear Lines
It's no secret that fitness brands are infiltrating the fashion world. But the other way around? It's coming...
A slew of traditional fashion designers have recently launched activewear lines. And while fitness looks lined the runways during Fall 2014 Fashion Week in New York City, this is the first time (other than trailblazer Stella McCartney) that designers are launching full blown workout wear collections.
"I think designers are taking notice of the increasing number of women adopting an active lifestyle," says Adrianne Ho, founder of fitness style site, Sweat the Style. Active is becoming a real fashion category now, she says.
And it's not just opinion: Here are five designers bringing their fashion cred to the fitness scene. —Jamie McKillop
(Photo: Trina Turk)
Trina Turk is known for her brightly patterned swimsuits and day dresses that inspire calling in sick and driving out to Palm Springs or the Hamptons. She brings that same sensibility to her activewear line—which launched earlier this year—with "look-at-me" leggings, sports bras, and tanks. Totally cute when paired with simple, subdued basics.
(Photo: Trina Turk)
Betsey Johnson has shown fitness-inspired looks on multiple occasions, including her Fall 2013 runway show, during which Lycra-clad models used champagne bottles as weights. (Um, why isn't this a class yet?) While more pieces are rolling out this fall, Betsey Johnson activewear has recently debuted (and promptly sold out) at select retailers like Carbon 38. Surprisingly, the pieces are not overwhelmingly girly: Expect playful patterns, black with metallic accents, and chic cutouts that you can do a cartwheel in. Like the 70-year-old designer does after every runway show.
(Photo: Washington Post)
Wellness-obsessed designer Norma Kamali is a regular at Physique 57 and sells supplements, natural beauty products, her very own juices, and hosts talks with holistic experts at her Wellness Cafe in New York City. So, it came as no surprise, but to much delight, when Kamali launched an fitness fashion collection earlier this year. In line with her casual chic aesthetic, you'll find gray, black, and white pieces that range from high-fashion sheer crop tops that are more "fitness-inspired" to basic leggings you could definitely sweat in.
(Photo: Norma Kamali)
The OG (original gangster) of high-fashion fitness clothing, Stella McCartney launched her activewear line with Adidas all the way back in 2004 (yes, it's been a decade!). Each season, McCartney somehow manages to excite us with unexpected silhouettes and details, like corset-inspired sports bras and ruffled running shorts. And she's paved the way for dozens of new, chic fitness brands now making their (sweat) mark.
(Photo: Adidas by Stella McCartney)
So technically it hasn't launched yet, but the fitness and fashion communities were abuzz when Tory Burch announced last spring that she plans to introduce a line for yoga, running, golf, and tennis in spring 2015. We're guessing lots of preppy yet modern and feminine pieces that mirror the aesthetic she's known for, like a tasteful printed legging, and maybe even a gold T-emblazoned running sneaker. And the designer's already been making good on her promise to outfit more women for their workouts in less overtly jock-y ways via her recent jewelry collab with performance-tracking device Fitbit. We feel big things coming from Team Burch.
(Photo: Eatocracy)
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