Athleisure hits the ground running

Today, workout clothes are being worn outside the gym. Brands are launching new collections and changing
casual wear as we know it. To showcase just how versatile the athleisure trend can be, we've put together a series of looks in a special photoshoot.
Photos: Juidin Bernarrd
Makeup: Neha Dadarkar
Hair styling: Lucito G Serrano
Model: Réka Éva Kuzma
Location: 360°, Jumeirah Beach Hotel

The tennis shirt and colour strip running down the side give this look an unmistakably sporty vibe. Dress it up with gold accessories and you have the perfect outfit for an evening function.
Réka is wearing:
Top and skirt: Juicy Couture
Clutch and cuff: Aldo
Heels: Steve Madden



Who says track pants can't be worn to the office? Just pair them with a formal blouse and heels.
Réka is wearing:
Blouse and track pants: Iconic
Heels: Steve Madden
Shades and handbag: Aldo

Heading out for brunch? Match a striped dress with wedge sneakers for a more casual look.
Seen on Réka:
Dress: Juicy Couture
Bag, shades and sneakers: Aldo

Give your mall crawling outfit a sporty spin with classic white sneakers and drawstring jeans.
Seen on Réka:
Top: Iconic
Jeans: Garage
Backpack and sneakers: Aldo
 
You know there's something very special about a trend when it's able to stand the test of time. And that may be one of athleisure's biggest draws. When it became all the rage a few years ago - with Nike CEO Mark Parker going so far as to claim that 'leggings are the new denim' - there were plenty who rubbished it as the next fad. Fast forward a few years, and not only is athleisure very much alive and kicking, it's on the rise. Global financial firm Morgan Stanley claims that the sports apparel and footwear market grew by a whopping 42 per cent over the last seven years and could add $83 billion in sales by 2020, leading to a 30 per cent growth. Those are some pretty big numbers for a simple idea.
And it is a simple idea, indeed. It may currently go by a lot of different names - activewear, sportswear, sports apparel - but athleisure is basically workout clothes that are stylish enough to don outside the gym. It's the reason we're all now familiar with seeing white sneakers just about everywhere, while leggings or pants with stripes running down the side are a common sight at the workplace. The appeal is obvious; unlike most fashion trends that require time, effort and leave us feeling awkward, athleisure fills a much-needed gap in the market simply by being both trendy and comfortable.
"As a personal stylist, I love the athleisure trend," says Rebecca Silver, a senior stylist with UAE-based personal styling and shopping agency Style Me Divine. "I've always had clients looking to dress comfortably and stylishly during the day, when in between appointments, but, earlier, sportswear and loungewear were so unflattering. Athleisure offers sophisticated cuts and 'smart' fabrics that are highly functional, yet have a more polished aesthetic. Sportswear has become sexy rather than scruffy."
Its functionality has, undoubtedly, been a reason behind its rise, with many assuming that millennials - known for more relaxed standards of clothing - have been the push behind its popularity. It is also the reason UAE-resident Priya Bhatia decided to launch Hautletic, a store that retails comfortable yet chic workout, travel and daily casual outfits.
"I was living in athleisure between workouts during a work hiatus," explains Priya. "When I started researching brands online as a consumer, I realised that there was a massive gap in the market."
She was right. Hautletic, which started two years ago, has gotten an extremely positive response from people in the region who are glad to have stylish options for when they want to go to the gym. or anywhere else for that matter. There may be another factor behind the rise of athleisure around the world. "Active wear is extremely successful because there is always high demand for it, especially now that people are so interested in sports, and are taking care of their bodies more than ever," says designer Philipp Plein. In fact, his eponymous brand has recently launched Plein Sport to reach out to a different target group of consumers, which consists of simple, basic pieces that don't feature any of the brand's trademark Swarovski crystals or studs. Instead, the pieces are simple, functional and meant for action.    
"People are buying activewear more than they even buy couture," he adds. "The rise of athleisure has been downplayed by some who believe it's just a passing fad. But numbers so far seem to indicate otherwise. Which is why some fast-fashion retailers have developed their own activewear lines."
'Some brands' include likes of New Look, and Forever 21. At the same time, numerous celebrities have jumped onto the trend, whether it's Kanye West and Stella McCartney partnering with Adidas or Beyonce launching an athletic brand with Topshop. As more consumers ditch jeans for leggings and heels for sneakers, comfort may just be the next buzzword in the fashion industry. Something we can all be grateful for.  
janice@khaleejtimes.com
3 tips to help you flaunt the style
. Wear a pair of silky, tailored, wide-legged tracksuit-esque trousers to the office. Reference some old-school sporty cool and earn bonus athleisure trend points if your pants have a contrasting colour strip running down the sides. Black-and-white is an athleisure colour combo that works well, even in most corporate environments.
. Swap your go-to flat shoe styles (such as ballet flats) for a fresh new pair of designer sneakers. The styles for spring summer from Gucci really pop and give everything from jeans to body-con dresses a laidback vibe.
. Instead of a standard blouse or shirt, combine an oversized slogan T-shirt or structured cropped top with smarter separates for on-trend edge.
-Rebecca Silver, stylist