Post pandemic economy has hit rock bottom. According to stats, businesses are shutting down left and right but the only business that is thriving right now is linked with health.
Surprisingly another subsidiary of health is growing faster than ever and that is linked with sportswear.
Forbes states that the sportswear industry is seeing clear signs of boon in the upcoming years because more people are staying home and working out.
Although,
Athleisure is not just something that you wear for a workout, it has become a style statement. From models to fashion cons we see people traveling in style wearing and flaunting their favorite brands of Athleisure.
Fashion industries and big brands are finally becoming stakeholders in the health industry. This is the first time the fashion and health industries are booming together.
Gone are the days when the fashion industry was busy endorsing stick figures while the health industry was telling people to embrace their natural self. Now, everyone is talking about the phenomenon of health.
According to stats, the fashion industry suffered a serious setback last year when the pandemic was on the boom. However, it seems activewear has offered a completely different channel to the fashion industry where they can maximize their profit margins.
With most businesses embarking on the true spirit of remote working, lounge wears, comfy clothing, sweatpants, and leggings are becoming common.
Where they make you look like you are a model, they offer you a very put-together look that makes you stand out. Most people have replaced their office wardrobes with this sportswear.
Stats revealed that the US sports fashion industry reached a whopping 113.4 billion last year and it is still growing as we speak.
With the help of this article, we will mainly focus on the interesting patch up of the two polar opposite industries i.e. fashion and health. We will also talk about some of the benefits that are linked with wearing Athleisure. To help you more, we will also explore some of the main reasons behind the success of some high-end Athleisure brands.
What is Athleisure?
Athleisure is a combination of athletic and leisure. This means that it is apparel that makes you feel active like you are an athletic person but you can enjoy your leisure time in it as well.
Most celebrities and fashion icons wear Athleisure to their breakfasts and brunches or on grocery trips. You might also spot some celebrities rocking these Athleisure to airports, restaurants, or a casual day out.
Athleisure has become the new streetwear that you can wear at any time. According to recent stats, the Athleisure industry has grown 42% just in the last decade and it is expected to reach over 250 billion dollars by 2026.
Although most sportswear brands offer some designs you can tell the difference by the kind of fabric that they use. Previously athletic wear was designed to snatch the waist and everything that might look a little curvy.
As a result,
People would feel like they had love handles or their body fat was hanging from all sides. Apart from this, these clothing items would make you feel extremely hot and you would sweat through them.
However, the fabric is now much more breathable and comfortable. It will make you look thin while smoothing out all the fat but also make you look more active and athletic.
Fashion experts explain that fabric is now going through change, there are more machines and innovative designs available that have helped the Athleisure industry embrace the athletic of the fashion industry.
Companies are also becoming more body sportive helping the brand to become inclusive. Where previously brands would simply make stuff for a certain size, now they are liberating people from these restrictions.
The best thing is that they are combining functionality with fashion which makes athleisure a very appealing choice for youngsters. Apart from this, people like to wear this sportswear with some accessories and shoes that can make them look a lot more formal.
According to fashion experts, athleisure helps people stay active which eventually helps them stay motivated for an active lifestyle.
Why Athleisure Was Famous Pre Pandemic?
Pre-pandemic health sector was booming because influencers and health companies were working on promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Later,
Celebrities and the general public jumped on the bandwagon of comfy fashionable clothes because it became a norm. Brands also hired influences to promote different party, office, and night out looks using Athleisure.
To some extent, Athleisure was taken as a status symbol because most brands offered very expensive sportswear making it a rare commodity for the general public.
Wearing Athleisure became even more popular when people from Silicon Valley started wearing it. They endorsed it as a way of life where more people were interested in mere comfort rather than the fashionable perspective.
However, this lured in public who wanted to pose that they were successful and this also brought a whole new generation that wanted to dress successfully.
Even if you look at some of the most famous people and owners of tech giants, you will see they have a very different fashion sense.
They prefer something basic that doesn’t make them stand out but do not let them look like they are trying hard to impress. If we look at Athleisure it ticks all the right boxes. It will help you look very put together yet you will not have to mix and match.
Apart from this, you will also notice that you feel more confident because it supports your body posture. It also helps you feel comfortable and enhances your natural body shape.
How Athleisure Has Transformed Fashion Industry Post Pandemic Scene
We can all agree that the post-pandemic fashion industry is much different from the pre-pandemic fashion industry. We have come a long way and this is because people are now ready to stay at home and enjoy their personal space.
Companies are willing people to work from home more people are choosing companies that are allowing them to stay home and work remotely. This helps them to cut the overall traveling budget and much more.
However,
People are now spending less on luxury clothing items especially office wear and formals. More people are willing to invest in clothing items that are sustainable and easy to style.
They do not want something that will make them feel lazy which is the reason loungewear is not a preferred fashion choice. However, athleisure helps them look ready for work while helping them feel comfortable.
Post pandemic people are investing more in functionality because of their limited budget.
Most people think that limited budget has made them think about their life choices and since fast fashion is now changing the climate and becoming the biggest part of our day to day life choices, people are now looking for ways to reduce their overall budget and since they are working from home, they are investing in something fashionable yet comfortable.
This is not just limited to people who are working from home. People are now making athleisure their style statement. From Instagram to day-to-day life, we see celebrities, influencers, and fashion icons rocking their athleisure.
Big brands are looking for ways to use technology that can make the fiber more sustainable. Whereas people are looking for something that is not just sustainable and functional but also durable and affordable.
As the damages of customers are changing the fashion horizon, more brands are jumping into the athleisure scene so they can offer an affordable alternative to an otherwise high-end fashion statement.
Although some have been successful, the technology, innovation and design resources owned by big brands cannot be replaced by small brands.
What Is The Future?
As we have discussed before, the fashion industry is changing but athleisure is here to stay. This means that the health and fashion industry will move towards a more sustainable and functional design that will be more fashion-forward.
According to experts, the future of athleisure is in safe hands. As technology is becoming advanced, designers are finally letting AI take the reins. More companies are using AI technology to make fabric that doesn’t show sweat patches.
Apart from this, they are making fabric that is breathable yet thin and warm at the same time. The best part is that it doesn’t hold the sweat stench that was one of the biggest issues.
Companies are also offering water replant characteristics in athleisure that will help people dry sweat easily. Big brands are moving towards season-based athleisure that adjust according to body temperature.
According to the fashion gurus, athleisure will help people stay in severe heat without feeling too hot. They are currently experimenting on designing fabric that stays cool and brings down the body temperature in all seasons.
In the future, brands are working on seamless sportswear that can fit all body types. Some brands offer the same size that fits all.
For comfort, companies are researching the various designs as well that can help in minimizing the discomfort while standing for long, sitting, or sleeping.
Currently, people do not sleep in athleisure because it is a little too tight just because it stabilized a grip. However, in the future brands are working on athleisure that will be used as night dresses as well.
Bottom Line
To sum it all up, Athleisure is not just a piece of clothing that helps you work out. Tracks suits have long been in fashion but it never worked out like Athleisure because it was designed for comfort only.
Athleisure offers much more than comfort. Previously sportswear was designed with just one thing in mind that it should not restrict the overall body movement. Most people would simply wear loose T-shirts and trousers.
However, Athleisure is made from a completely different material that is designed to address and resolve all the issues that people face when they work out.
From getting rid of the sweaty stench to making you look more fashionable, Athleisure is surely doing its job. Data also reveal that during the pandemic the Athleisure industry has jumped 84% which means more people are wearing Athleisure only.
If we look at the UK stats we will see that women are wearing five times more Athleisure than men. Comparing the April and December numbers we will see that there is a great jump as well.
Apart from this, men’s Athleisure saw a spike of 20% as compared to pre-pandemic time. Target reported a sale worth 1 billion dollars whereas others brands have reported somewhat the same figures.
This truly explains that Athleisure is here to stay and it is not just a fad.