In short, yes. But, sportswear isn’t just set to dominate the market this year; it is set to dominate the fashion industry.
Why? Because they have started being worn outside the gym and other sporting activities – and are now being donned by models as they make their way up and down many fashion catwalks. As a result, sportswear is gracing the rails of most fashion retailers.
It has become so popular that even haute couture can’t ignore it – with Donatella Versace giving athletic clothing the high-fashion treatment and a nod of approval.
According to this article on Bloomberg: “When she opened a week of haute couture fashion shows in Paris on Sunday, Donatella Versace trotted out a sight not often seen on those catwalks. Calling her Atelier Versace collection ‘Athletic Couture,’ the designer replaced her usual ultra-sexed glam, with something altogether … sportier: Models wore racer tanks, mesh bodysuits, and lots of bungee cords. Silicone gel details popped up on her cut-out dresses. Bits of neon yellow and orange, hues typical of Nike performance pants or Under Armour compression shirts drew the eye. It was as if a hip barre studio had somehow converged with a posh cocktail party.”
Sportswear giants such as Nike and Adidas are also embracing fashion – partnering with fashion models and designers – including a partnership between Adidas and Stella McCartney. “For Adidas, fashion collaborations are a way of expanding the company’s creative ecosystem and keeping consumers engaged and excited by the Adidas brand in a fast moving market.” Being a commercial brand they must do this by constantly releasing new products that will excite them – which means acknowledging the fashion side of both men and women’s experience with sport.
But it isn’t just those major sport brands that are making the move into everyday wear – we are also stepping back in time.
You would be forgiven for thinking we were back in the 90s, when you start seeing the likes of Ellesse and Fila in a list of brands dominating the market this year. But, no it is 2016 and they are back!
Both originally sportswear ranges, they are now being stocked in many retailers, such as Clues Fashion, among other popular brands.
And they aren’t the only ones; kids are now wearing brands such as Reebok, Champion, Umbro, Le Coq Sportif, and Diadora – which were first popular around the year they were born.
Even Beyoncé has brought out her own fashion sportswear range – Ivy Park. According to her website, “Ivy Park is merging fashion-led design with technical innovation. Creating a new kind of performance wear: modern essentials for both on and off the field.”
When the range was launched in mid-April in Topshop, it was so popular that many items sold out within minutes and the site crashed due to the sheer number of people that were on it. A lot of this will be due to the fact that the range is by Queen Bee, but the fact she has bought out an ‘activewear range’ that is very unlikely to ever see a workout shows just how popular this sporty attire has become in the fashion world.