ACTIVEWEAR
Activewear: From Fitness Trend to Lifestyle Uniform
Just like the “casual Friday” trend, which evolved from a weekly break from professional attire to an everyday uniform, activewear has spread beyond the gym, yoga studio or dance class.
Last year, U.S. consumer spending on apparel, footwear and accessories increased 1 percent to $323 billion, and that 1 percent was largely due to increased sales in activewear and athletic footwear, according to the NPD Group.
“Casual and ‘athleisure’ have taken on a life of their own,” said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst for the Port Washington, N.Y.–based research firm, in a recent release. “This is no longer a trend. It is now a lifestyle that is too comfortable, for consumers of all ages, for it to go away anytime soon.”
The “athleisure” category ranges from activewear staples such as yoga pants, sports bras and sports tops to loungewear that crosses over from fitness to casual apparel.
“The status quo won’t work anymore, as the fashion industry has undergone one of the most dramatic makeovers in recent history—no doubt influenced by the millennial consumer,” Cohen said. “There is an underlying sense of rebellion that comes through in today’s fashion, but self-expression and creativity also enter the picture, and history has shown that trends driven by such emotion are ones that evolve quickly. Designers and marketers alike need to be at the ready with something new and different that will evoke and reflect equally strong feelings for all consumers in 2015 and beyond.”
