PULSE

A range of active wear gets all “designer“on us

The boom in the athleisure market has brought about a casualisation of fashion that’s seen men and women hitting the office, mall and street in their leggings, trainers and sweatshirts. And why not? For years we’ve forced our bodies into restrictive, uncomfortable, inflexible clothing (I’ll never understand the tie) while comfort has been looked upon with disdain by bosses and HR managers alike, as if wearing activewear could suggest that you’re lazy. Recently, Business of Fashion called designer trainers “luxury’s gateway to millennials”, shrugging off the stuffy suit and replacing it with something far more practical.

But this is not to say that active wear can’t be beautiful and well designed — clothing that can take you from the gym to the office and out to lunch without the need for a change. And dressing in active wear also makes actually getting some exercise into your busy day easier.

Global Industry Analysts predicts that by the year 2024, the sports and fitness clothing market will be worth as much as $231-billion (R3-trillion). According to their report, people in the US have a growing interest in leading healthy lifestyles and this has led to an increase in participation in exercise activities.

“Active apparel helps people get into sports. It’s a psychological push in the right direction,” says Discovery reputation management consultant Taryn Kerr. “In South Africa, the athleisure trend is booming, making its way into shopping mall window displays across the country. Athleisure and active apparel have moved from functional gear worn by elite athletes to fashion and street style.”

Kerr says that about 15 years ago nobody would have dreamt of wearing a track top to lunch after a gym or a running session, but times have changed and people want to be comfortable wherever they go and save time by avoiding wardrobe changes. “After training hard towards your fitness goal, it makes sense to reward yourself with active apparel that suits your lifestyle and that you look really good in,” she says.

“The global shift towards living healthier lifestyles has meant that people now recognise the technology that goes into manufacturing athleisure and activewear clothing and how comfortable and breathable these clothes can be.”

And because no one understands the clothing creation process better than fashion designers, Discovery collaborated with top South African designer Thebe Magugu to create a high-fashion, affordable designer collection of athleisure wear.

“Supporting local fashion designers and local textile manufacturers is important to building and sustaining South African creativity,” Kerr says.

Magugu has been on the radar of fashion-conscious locals since he finished studying at Lisof school of design in Johannesburg and launched a range in 2017 during South African Fashion Week as part of the Woolworths’s Style By SA collection. His fashion plays with binaries — masculine vs feminine, experimental vs traditional and now active vs streetwear.

“The range is a modern reinterpretation of sports apparel,” says Kerr. “It combines the benefits of premium-quality performance sports gear with the practicality of everyday wear. Each garment is created with the sole intention of empowering people to be healthier, while still looking good.”

The Discovery Keep Moving activewear range is made from fabric that is comfortable, flexible and moisture-wicking.

Find the range at discoveryalligator.co.za.