California Apparel News

Athletic apparel has experienced a resurgence in both sporting style and fashion. Consumers have taken their affinity for casual apparel that they developed while spending more time at home and channeled it into fashionable expressions they can wear beyond the gym. Consumers expect clothing that reflects and can accommodate the greater overlap of their home, office, fitness and social lives.

The characteristics that make these garments comfortable yet chic rely on fresh vision from brands and their suppliers. From sustainable sourcing to design-forward silhouettes that deliver on both performance and a luxurious hand, many apparel brands in the performance, activewear and athleisure segments of the industry are focused on creating premium offerings that tick all the boxes for consumer demand.

California Apparel News asked experts in the performance, activewear and athleisure categories: How will the performance, activewear and athleisure categories influence style, fabrication and innovation in fashion over the coming seasons?

Meredith Boyd

Chief Product Officer

UNIFI, makers of REPREVE

 Brands and consumers are seeking multifaceted solutions that deliver enhanced functionality and present sustainable solutions. REPREVE offers advanced fiber technology that delivers enhanced functionality including comfort, stretch, thermal regulation and more. It is the only eco-performance fiber with FiberPrint tracer technology and U-TRUST product verification to certify transparency and traceability. REPREVE has been engineered to meet the evolving demands of both consumers and brands looking for performance and functionality while building on the foundation of sustainable, durable and versatile materials.

Brands we partner with can tailor their REPREVE yarns to meet specific performance benefits like moisture wicking, UV protection, thermal regulation and odor control. This flexibility allows us to be at the forefront of performance and sustainability, aligning perfectly with the growing consumer demand for environmentally friendly solutions that perform as well as their virgin counterparts.

    Trish Concannon

    Show Director

    Outdoor Design + Innovation

 Consumers are looking for more-versatile silhouettes that easily shift from everyday wear to outdoor and athleisure looks. One of the drivers of this demand is the younger generation’s fondness for outdoor recreational activities.

Collaborations between luxury-fashion and sportswear brands will continue to blur the lines between high-performance gear and high-end fashion, fostering both creativity and innovation. With consumers looking for more-versatile, sustainable and high-performing apparel, the performance category is set to redefine not just activewear but also everyday fashion.

This shift is also driven by advancements in technical fabrics. Technology will continue to become more integrated into clothing, providing features such as moisture-wicking and temperature-regulating properties. We are also seeing developments like smart textiles and 3D knitting offering features such as health tracking and personalized designs. Sustainability will also play a key role with brands. Many companies are developing more-sustainable synthetic options to minimize their environmental footprint.

Joe DiGirolamo

Director of Sales

Thermore

 The performance category is always impacting the larger market, and right now we’re seeing a shift toward emphasizing freedom of movement in all categories. People want to feel comfortable, and that’s a specialty the performance category has had for a long time.

With regard to fabrication, there’s a blooming desire for thin-profile garments, which has driven insulation brands to innovate even further. We’re working to craft sleek garments that are comfortable without adding the puffiness and excessive warmth typically associated with a high-loft garment. We’re seeing a specific desire for materials like our Freedom stretch insulation product across the outdoor, lifestyle and fashion spaces. It’s a demand that’s also driving exciting sustainability innovations in insulation, which we hope continue to grow and develop with time.

    Alicia Hall

    Design and Sourcing Director

    The Evans Group

 The performance category will continue its influence on more trend-driven categories in the coming seasons as discerning customers look to purchase quality investment pieces with longevity. This category is currently informing general style concepts and trends with its functional and seasonless approach to garments and footwear, and we expect to see more textile designers and suppliers fuse these performance capabilities into a wider array of fabrics suitable for ready-to-wear items.

The textiles are markedly durable, with innovative fiber blends and finishes including antimicrobial and moisture-wicking capabilities, weatherproofed coatings, and UPF/UPV capabilities for both fabrics and trims. The continued popularity of key elements of the performance category in all other apparel categories is ushering in an exciting new era where you no longer have to choose between form and function.

Kathy Kartalis

Senior Vice President of Global Product

Skechers

 Skechers’ apparel line is designed to enhance versatility without compromising on comfort or functionality. That’s why “Comfort That Performs” is the ethos behind Skechers Apparel.

Our approach begins with fabric selection. We choose soft, high-quality materials that incorporate advanced technologies such as active-stretch, moisture-wicking, quick-dry properties and UV protection.

We ensure our garments fit well and feel comfortable. To achieve this, we collaborate closely with our athletes in developing sport-specific styles. This process involves multiple rounds of wear testing until we perfect the fit and features.

Customer feedback plays a crucial role in our product development. We regularly share this input with our product team, helping us refine the balance between fit, function and fashion. This customer-centric approach allows us to continually improve and deliver on our promise.

    Mary-Cathryn Kolb

    Founder and Chief Executive Officer

    brrr°

 Comfort continues to be one of the most important factors across all apparel categories—activewear, performance, leisure, workplace and, even, fashion. A decade or two ago, the focus was on stretch and the cut of the garment, whether it allowed freedom of movement and how the seams were constructed and sewn.

Now people want more from the fabric itself. How does it perform? Does it wick and dry quickly? Can it actually draw heat away from your skin to keep you cooler? Can it support your body’s natural thermoregulation?

brrr° develops cooling-fabric technology that combines the power of natural cooling minerals, active wicking and rapid drying—and it’s embedded inside the structure of the yarn. While some companies use sprays and coatings that fade and wash out over time, the cooling power of brrr° lasts the lifetime of the garment, and it’s independently lab tested and proven.

Forward-thinking brands are embracing that as they marry cooling comfort, innovation and design to elevate their products. We think it’s a new era for functional fashion.

Marco Marcou

Head of Corporate

CELYS Compostable Polyester

 Unlike conventional synthetics that take centuries to degrade, CELYS polyester is not only compostable but also biodegradable. This innovation transforms how brands approach performance wear, combining the moisture-wicking, quick-drying and breathable qualities consumers expect while being kinder to the planet.

Innovative performance materials are not only the focus for traditional-sports, outdoor or performance brands but also fashion in general as brands seek to fulfill the needs of their customers to switch between work and play seamlessly. Innovation is beginning to focus on integrating smart textiles and wearable technology into fashion, from sustainability to fabrics that monitor body metrics or adjust to external conditions. It’s a true fusion of technology and fashion, continuing to push the boundaries of traditional design, resulting in apparel that not only looks stylish but also enhances the wearer’s performance and health in addition to the well-being of the planet.

    Steve McCullough

    Event Director

    Functional Fabric Fair—powered by PERFORMANCE DAYS

 Innovations in fabrication will continue to evolve, but sustainability remains at the forefront. Recycled and biodegradable materials, new end-of-life textiles alongside smart fabrics embedded with technology will be key in addressing environmental concerns and consumer demand for eco-friendly options. These textiles will offer enhanced durability while reducing the industry’s carbon footprint.

Cindy McNaull

Brand Business Development Director

INVISTA CORDURA

 Trend indicators suggest that consumers today are more drawn to timeless products. Durability and reliability are more important than ever and represent a significant shift in attitude when it comes to purchase behavior.

This mindset aligns well with our long-standing mantra of creating durable CORDURA Advanced Fabric technologies that will stand the test of time.

With durability, versatility and reliability built into the fabric of our brand DNA, CORDURA Advanced Fabrics are ideally placed to help deliver utility-inspired silhouettes for a world that is demanding a focus on multifunctional products designed with purpose.

    Helen Newman

    Founder

    Helen Newman Ltd.

 Having been immersed in the activewear category for over a dozen years, I see certain upcoming trends. The performance category is expected to have a major influence on fashion in the coming seasons. Customers continue to focus on functionality, comfort and sustainability in their clothing.

Athleticwear and everyday clothing will continue to blend. The lines will blur between sportswear and casual. Technical fabrics are expected to be very important. There is a demand for garments that perform across various activities.

The customer wants to be able to transition seamlessly from one activity to another. The focus on performance will continue to cater to the modern customer.

Devon Ranger

Show Director

Collective Shows

 Activewear continues to significantly influence style, fabrication and innovation in fashion by merging functionality with aesthetics to create chic and versatile ensembles for everyday wear without sacrificing comfort. The athleisure movement has a sophisticated way of blurring the lines between fashion and function.

Clothing that was once originally designed for sport now doubles as everyday fashion. With a strong activewear piece as your foundation, you can elevate almost any athleisure look with wardrobe staples. We can expect chicer, more-relaxed silhouettes in the coming seasons—sleek leggings and a sports bra paired with an oversized blazer, a relaxed sweatpant with trendy sneakers and a faux-fur coat or a chunky knit sweater layered over a tennis dress worn anywhere but the court—all perfect examples of keeping it casual yet put together.

    Shay Sethi

    Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer

    Ambercycle

 Today’s shoppers expect garments that not only look good but also are functional, versatile and durable, supporting active lifestyles. This shift has made performance a key driver in fashion, blending innovation with design to meet these growing expectations.

Circularity is also becoming a major focus for both brands and consumers. As fashion looks to minimize waste and extend the life of materials, performance plays an integral role in this shift.

At Ambercycle, we’re seeing increased demand for regenerative fabrics like cycora, which offer high durability and performance at a fraction of the environmental cost. Performance fabrics that are long-lasting and recyclable are key to building a circular fashion system, where products can be reused and regenerated rather than discarded.

Responses have been edited for clarity and space.