Athlesiure and athletic wear are gaining popularity day after day. Partially because of quarantine and the need for comfy casual clothing, but also because people need to be motivated to work out. If that means spending $200 on a matching mint green workout set then so be it! I’ve rounded up a list of the top five athletic brands that use high end fabrics and unique styles. Many top fashion brands are looking to expand and offer activewear lines to meet the demand of versatile consumers and varying lifestyles.
Who knows – maybe your athleisure brand could be the next big thing!
Lululemon
Starting off the list is Canadian luxury athleisure-wear brand, Lululemon. This brand has a recognizable logo and notorious butter soft materials. At first, the brand strictly catered to the yoga moms of the world, but Lululemon now makes technical athletic clothing that ranges from running to weightlifting.
Lululemon first gained popularity through their best selling item, the Align leggings. These pants are made of delicate, breathable Nulu fabric and help the brand climb to the top of the athleisure market, even at $100 per legging pair. After all it’s all about quality over quantity.
Alo Yoga
Based out of Los Angeles, Alo Yoga is another athletic brand that quickly rose to the top of the market. Similar to Lululemon, Alo Yoga’s original goal was to make the best of the best clothing for yoga lovers everywhere. The brand creates flattering performance gear and that can be used both on and off the yoga mat. Alo Yoga is very much fashion focused which is why a lot of major celebrities prefer it over other luxury athletic brands. Kendall Jenner, Taylor Swift, and Gigi Hadid are some of the few celebrities that openly wear (and love) Alo Yoga.
LNDR
LNDR is a premium activewear brand based out of London that focuses on everyday activewear. From the yoga studio to running errands, LNDR created sportswear that can be worn anywhere and everywhere. It makes clever use of a variety of chic patterns and designs along with a sporty logo that distinguish it from leading competitors. Not only that, but the brand has many different options of fabrics, seams, and body fits. LNDR also prides itself on making high quality products that last both in style and quality, without destroying the planet like fast fashion competitors.
The Upside
This Australian brand embraces fashion and functionality through the use of highly technical material to ensure the best performance possible. Much like LNDR, this sportswear was made to be worn in and out of the gym. The dynamic styles and designs that The Upside offers stand out in the market. Founder Jodhi Meares said she would prepare for yoga and envision what she would want to wear, and that from there, she made her (day)dream a reality. She wanted to stray away from the basic, bland approach to athleticwear, and instead focus on creating patterns that would stand out in a crowd.
Koral
This Los Angeles based brand uses various fabric technologies to create the perfect workout set. From Lyrca to Tencel textiles, the choices are endless. Founder Ilana Kugel was inspired to create unique art and designs based on her experience growing up in Brazil and then moving to LA. Koral was the first brand to use high shine fabric for leggings and the first to introduce the workout jumpsuit. While the brand is only seven years old, Koral has taken off, easily becoming one of the top trendsetters within the athleisure industry.
When it comes to activewear, designer brands need to look at three things: comfortability, quality, and motivation. No one wants sweat stains or itchy leggings, so it’s important to look into the specifics of each fabric. You want to find the balance between making your athleticwear fit like a glove without being too tight and uncomfortable.
The last thing to consider is the motivation aspect. Everyone wants to feel good when working out and getting into shape, so it’s essential to consider the fit and color of each article, making sure that the customer has options. While some brands excel in pattern variety while others excel in fabric technology, use this to inspire you to look into stretching your luxury brand into the athleisure space if you have not already.
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