The athleisure trend: what it is and why it's here to stay

• What is athleisure wear?
• The beginnings of a trend
• The athleisure trend as the winner of the pandemic
• Home office but make it fashion: the athleisure trend on social networks
• A trend that continues to grow
• Athleisure collections as a sales driver for the fitness and fashion industry

The fashionable word creation combines the English terms athletics and leisure to create sporty leisure looks. Cycling shorts with an oversized blouse or crop tops and trainers with a summer skirt - athleisure outfits combine activewear and everyday clothing or merge into new it-pieces such as cool jogging suits and flared leggings. As the trend continues to grow, brands are expanding the concept of athleisure beyond just clothing and creating products that combine sporty style with practical benefits - from sunglasses to rucksacks.

The first high fashion brands discovered the huge potential of athleisure wear back in 2017 and collaborated with sports brands for new capsule collections. Louis Vuitton, Karl Lagerfeld and Gucci succeeded in rejuvenating their image and increasing their sales with luxury streetwear by collaborating with Supreme, Vans and The North Face. At the same time, more and more sports brands responded to the increasing demand. Labels such as Reebok and Adidas brought trendy fashion designers such as Victoria Beckham and Stella McCartney on board to win over the younger generation with their fashionable statement pieces. New collaborations show impressively how big the athleisure trend has already become - for example, the Canadian athletes at the 2024 Olympics will be kitted out in stylish athleisure outfits:

With his latest sports-inspired collections, even fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld has ruined one of his most famous statements: jogging bottoms are no longer a sign of loss of control. With the switch to working from home during the pandemic and the continuation of mobile working after it, the requirements for workwear have also changed. Not only has the time-consuming commute to work been eliminated, but also the dress code in the office. The fact that the pandemic has also awakened the sporting spirit in many people to create a healthy balance has inevitably benefited the athleisure hype.

The hype is particularly evident on social media: Instead of wanderlust-inducing selfies from the beach in Bali or from the balcony of a chic pop-up hotel in Cape Town, selfies from home during the corona pandemic took center stage. Millennials and GenZers have been keeping fit during the pandemic with digital yoga sessions and workouts at home, with many continuing these routines after coronavirus. This did not detract from the style factor, quite the opposite: in jogging bottoms, tracksuit bottoms and vintage hoodies, normal users and influencers alike fired up the athleisure trend.

Gen Z and young adults show a strong preference for online shopping, with their shopping habits heavily influenced by peer groups and social media. Nearly three-quarters of Gen Z prefer to shop on their phones over other devices, and over forty percent prefer to discover new things on social media via short videos - a place where the athleisure trend is ubiquitous. And while the pandemic is over, studies show that remote working is here to stay. The same is true for the fitness trend, as data shows that the use of wearables (e.g. smartwatches and fitness trackers) remains high. Promising prospects for the fashion and sports industries, which can push each other like never before if they manage to pick up the young target group on social networks.

"Millennials and GenZers want fashionable activewear so they can stay active all day - for relaxing, working and all other activities," says trend expert Claire Conner from fashion label Bella+Canvas. Like many others, the brand launched its own athleisure line to meet the growing demand from the young target group for comfortable outfits. Ultra-soft materials, futuristic graphics and the silhouettes and colors of the 90s are particularly popular, explains Conner. They are based on pop culture trends in the social networks that have emerged through the content of influencers and celebrities on TikTok and Instagram.