It had been around for a few years, but eyes ended up settling on this style when Anna Wintour, the mythical director of Vogue, gave her her blessing. She did it through Instagram, when she uploaded a photo in which she could be seen working in her house, in an impeccable striped sweater, ubiquitous black glasses… and jogging. Yes, the times were running pandemic and quarantine, it was just April 2020, but that post was enough to legitimize an incipient trend. Since then, the athleisure style it has done nothing but gain followers around the world.
The look of the street
What exactly are we talking about when we talk about athleisure? From the way of dressing that is born when sports (athletic) meets leisure (“leisure”, in English) or the most urban. “It is a style that combines, in the same look, sports items with more casual garments. In practice it can be summarized as the possibility of using sportswear in different everyday environments. This trend is a fact and today we see how it has had an impact on street style”, points out Raúl Fagalde, Puma’s head of marketing for Argentina, a brand that has been able to launch products that accompany this trend. For example, these days they are presenting their “Forever Classic” collection, which pays homage to brand icons such as the Suede shoes (which have been part of the firm for 40 years) or the Slipstream, a reinvented basketball classic that combines 80’s archives with a modern design. And an interesting fact: in 2020 Puma appointed June Ambrose, a long-time stylist for figures closely attached to sports as Jay-Z and Missy Elliottas its creative director.
Indeed, it is in the street where the application of athleisure is best seen. In the look of celebrities but also of the youngest, those who most quickly reinterpret the trend and apply it to their taste and lifestyle. “It is a fashion that today is well regarded in the eyes of society and has become the coolest thing to wear. Young people are the ones who best know how to wear and combine. They go comfortable through life without ceasing to be fashion ”, analyzes Meri Salinas, fashion producer and image consultant, in whose account she @merisalinas gives tips to use this and other styles gracefully.
Some international figures that stand out for their good use of the trend are Hailey Bieber, Kim Kardashian, Kylie and Kendall Jenner, Dua Lipa, Rihanna (considered by many the precursor of the subject), the sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid and kaia gerber, model and daughter of Cindy Crawford. Locally, inspiration could be found in the style of Lali Espósito, Zaira Nara, María del Cerro or China Suárez.
All of these celebrities tend to wear sneakers, oversized sweatshirts with a hood, large T-shirts with leggings and training tops, always combined with more urban or even more night-time garments, such as a shiny blazer. To carry this mix with grace, Salinas recommends learning to listen to yourself. “You can tell when the clothes wear you, compared to when you own the garment. No matter how extravagant the look you want to create, if you know how to wear it and you feel comfortable, you will be fine. If, on the other hand, you only feel that you have to wear it because it is fashionable, it will look like a costume ”, she maintains.
Down to earth, the specialist suggests some looks that can be tried and follow this line: tailoring pants with a hooded sweatshirt and sneakers; a top with jogging and boots; jogger pants with studs, a top and a sports jacket; and a camel coat with jogging, a diver and boots. And in the styling, a tight and high ponytail, just like the one we would use to go to the gym. “The key is to get sporty out of the comfort zone, which would be dressing completely in that workout look,” she points out.
Demand and gateway
On the other hand, Salinas highlights the irony that what not so long ago was considered a crime, like wearing jogging pants with a shiny jacket or going out in Adilettes-style “flip flops”, today is pure fashion. And what changed? The desire to be comfortable. Something that stopped resigning from the pandemic, a moment in which the importance of taking care of health was also understood. And exercise is a big part of this. “The athleisure style promotes the integration of physical activity into daily life, encouraging people to adopt a more active and healthy rhythm,” says Fagalde.
And there is no less a theme that underpins this growth: customers have become increasingly aware of the ecological issue and the enormous environmental impact of fashion, the second most polluting industry in the world. “Changes have been generated in consumer behavior, who today opts for durable and multifunctional garments, thus reducing the waste generated by fast fashion and promoting a more sustainable and responsible mentality”, they add from Puma.
In this sense, luxury brands – the opposite of “fast fashion” – have not wanted to be left behind either. Thus, collaborations and alliances such as Gucci’s with Adidas were born, who have launched sneakers that intersect the most iconic of both brands (the Gazelle model, with the classic print of the Italian house), but that also add color and daring in versions Designed to be worn even with dresses. Balenciaga has done something similar, also with Adidas, launching sneakers with the classic line of the three strips, but in the extravagant and striking sizes of the Spanish firm.
Nike made its own union with Jacquemus with enormous acceptance. Here the imprint of the groundbreaking French designer brought sensuality to women’s sports pieces such as swimsuits, sports tops and hiking boots, among other items. And towards May of this year, the alliance also gave life to the reinvention of the Air Force, a model of basketball shoes born in the 80s (well remembered for being the first with air technology).
This type of collaboration not only allows luxury brands to be in tune with the trend, but also to reach a younger and fresher audience. What is called a “win win” scenario.
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