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What exactly is “Fitness Style”?
Despite the existence of “fitness fashion” during the peak periods of health and fitness in the late 80s and early 90s, the branding and promotion of this trend are potentially related to Lululemon. According to a Retail Dive article, Lululemon did not revolutionize sportswear but rather revolutionized clothing. This Canadian brand introduced the world to workout-to-lifestyle clothing. Rather than creating traditional workout gear, which was already widely available, Lululemon differentiated itself through its appeal to a lifestyle and the seamless blend of fashion and fitness. Fitness fashion (as demonstrated by Lululemon) does not focus on high-performance gear, sports attire, or activewear, but rather offers versatile pieces that effortlessly transition from a light workout or yoga session to a casual café outing without seeming out of place.
By the middle of the 2010s, fitness fashion had firmly established itself as a prevalent style. Major fashion chains and luxury labels began infusing fitness elements into their collections, blurring the boundaries between conventional sportswear and everyday style. While 2014 marked the emergence of “fitness fashion”, by the conclusion of 2018, the appeal of this trend was already diminishing. Between 2016 and 2018, fitness fashion peaked in popularity with brands like Adidas and Nike, and fitness-specific brands experiencing significant sales growth as consumers embraced comfortable and versatile clothing choices.
Street Fashion Ensures Elite Accessible
During a discussion with Marc Ecko and Takashi Murakami at ComplexCon, the late Virgil Abloh highlighted, “It’s the middle point between two categories. If I appreciate high-end fashion and street style, Off-White encourages me to exist in that intersection. I don’t have to pick between luxury fashion and street style. My brand is a reminder of the fluidity.” Off-White proceeded to redefine luxury through the prism of street culture, using distinctive branding and strategic ties with modern brands such as Nike and Levi’s.
Under the inventive guidance of Kim Jones, Louis Vuitton started infusing streetwear aesthetics into its collections through collaborations with streetwear brands and artists. One notable partnership was with Supreme in 2017, combining Louis Vuitton’s luxurious craftsmanship with Supreme’s streetwear credibility.
At Balenciaga, Demna merged haute couture with street fashion by embracing oversized shapes, bold prints, and contemporary elements that appealed to a younger, streetwear-influenced demographic. Through strategic partnerships with influencers and celebrities, leveraging social media and digital marketing strategies, and organizing high-profile (albeit sometimes controversial) product drops, Abloh and Demna reshaped their respective fashion houses’ design language to resonate with contemporary preferences, broadening their appeal and rendering luxury fashion more accessible to a diverse audience.
The Equalization of Upscale Fashion in Men’s Clothing
It all began with the suit. The concept of the “broken suit” was first introduced by fashion maestro Stefano Pilati. Upon transitioning from Yves Saint Laurent to Zegna, Pilati coined the term to describe a suit where the jacket is paired with a mismatched, often relaxed pair of trousers. Imagine it as an initial form of “professionalism in a pandemic” — business and meeting-ready.Starting from the chest upwards and laid-back from the waist downwards. This fashionable interpretation of mismatched menswear pieces exemplified the erosion of traditional menswear norms while also introducing the concept of “athleisure” to describe the fusion of athletic garments with traditionally non-athletic fashion styles. Current catwalks present scenarios where chinos complement sports jackets, and suit jackets harmonize with jogger pants — showcasing relaxed contours and generously cut bottoms that exude a more casual appeal, still evident in Louis Vuitton, Dior, Burberry, and Gucci collections.
Discover More: Menswear Traditions Endure Amidst a World of Gender-Neutral Advertising
The essence of luxury fashion gradually evolved into a fusion of “high and low fashion,” as traditional high-fashion brands produced garments resembling everyday wear. High-end labels started incorporating elements of streetwear and sportswear such as sneakers and hoodies into their runway lines, democratizing fashion by creating pieces that seemed more accessible to a broader audience.
Explore Further: The Transition from Fashion Designers to Artistic Directors
The Divisive Popularity of Sporty-Style Extensions
Attitudes toward clothing norms were evolving, and in 2015, Morgan Stanley Research disclosed that the U.S. activewear market garnered yearly revenues of USD 97 billion. Moncler led the way with their ethos of “It’s not just a trend. It’s a lifestyle,” introducing the Grenoble collection in 2010, focusing on high-performance sportswear for extreme climates, refining the label’s specialty in “high-altitude attire” dating back to the 1950s.
Learn More: Wanderlust as a Secret Weapon in Luxury Fashion Promotion
Fashion houses swiftly followed suit, with the South China Morning Post noting that Chanel, Dior, and Louis Vuitton began offering couture sneakers, while Fendi, Chloé, and Hermès launched capsule collections dedicated to skiing and cross-fitting. Luxury online retailer Net-a-Porter introduced the Net-a-Porter Sports Channel focusing on 11 sports, including golf, yoga, and dance, with former fashion director Lisa Aiken remarking, “We saw a significant opportunity in designer sportswear.”
Find Out More: Advocating Sports and Fashion: Athlete House Ambassadors Competing in the Race to the 2024 Paris Olympics
Change in Industry Approaches
With the normalization of normcore, athleisure, and streetwear merging into luxury’s rendition of “everyday wear,” the concept of “See Now Buy Now” emerged. Forbes mentioned that “See Now Buy Now” was embraced as a method for retailers to reduce the time lag between showcasing runway garments and their availability in stores. To satisfy consumers with “drops” and spur genuine retail disruption, commercial versions of runway items were promptly offered for sale. This business model called for an on-demand production system geared towards rapid apparel manufacturing, further emphasizing the dwindling exclusivity of runway collections.
The Cyclic Pattern of Fashion
The late 2010s to early 2020s witnessed the saturation and growing criticism of athleisure. As athleisure permeated mainstream fashion, it faced backlash for contributing to the erosion of dress codes and formal dressing standards. Critics argued that it compromised professional appearances and lacked sartorial creativity. As the definition of “athleisure” continues to evolve, the cyclical nature of fashion trends led to a resurgence of athleisure-style prominence between 2023 and 2024. While brands prioritize sustainability, inclusivity, and material/design innovation, there is an increased focus on clothing versatility and multifunctionality, catering to varied lifestyles and preferences, showcasing a blend of tailored styles and a continued demand for comfortable, athleisure-infused pieces.
So, what about the brand that supposedly kickstarted it all? As of early June 2024, CNN reported a nearly 40 percent decline in Lululemon’s stock value. With new competitors like Alo and Vuori entering the market and established activewear giants like Nike and Adidas innovating their sportswear offerings, Lululemon pivoted towards performance-driven apparel to remain competitive. However, Lululemon faces challenges in truly rivaling longstanding sportswear powerhouses such as Nike and Adidas.
Given the surge in streetwear popularity, the pervasive presence of athletic apparel as “everyday wear,” and the blurring of what defines suitable corporate attire amid the rise of remote work, the need to segregate and categorize “athleisure” as a distinct style category seems antiquated and unnecessary.
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