GIVE YOUR EAR LOUNGEW A LUXE-OVER
IT’S THE MOST wonderful time of the year. Aren’t the lights lovely? The carols charming? And have you seen A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding yet? But – whisper it, grinches – isn’t it all a little tiring? Well fear not, because there’s a fa-la-la-la-lazy fashion option that’s offering welcome respite from a jam-packed social season. All hail the cashmere tracksuit.
If you’re hankering after something comfy, you’re in good company. Fashion search engine Lyst has seen searches for cashmere tracksuits soar recently, up 33% year on year. It also predicts another surge just before Christmas. So get in quick. Not least because the cashmere trackie may be the perfect Christmas outfit. Like drinking champagne in your PJS, they’re an irresistible blend of lazy and luxe. ‘Every day over Christmas is like Sunday at home,’ says Charlotte Lewis, founder of Ven, a line of cashmere travel essentials. ‘And what better Sunday outfit than a cashmere tracksuit?’
Muted grey and navy versions feel particularly chic, but statement versions are also selling strongly. Lyst reports that Madeleine Thompson’s rainbow tracksuit is one of the most searched for, while Cara Delevingne and Jodie Comer have both been spotted in Tabitha Webb’s leopardprint design. ‘ This season, our Mexicano geometric tracksuit has been a best-seller,’ says Chinti & Parker founder Anna Singh.
Lewis says it was a ‘no-brainer’ to include a cashmere tracksuit in her Ven collection ( influencer Pernille Teisbaek is a fan of her pared-back pieces). She cites versatility as part of its appeal: ‘ While I always wear my full tracksuit for travelling and lazing at home, I also wear the pieces separately. A cashmere hoodie is great with tailored trousers and I made the pants with a straight leg to give them versatility. I’ll wear them with an oversize shirt and sandals in spring.’
Meanwhile, designer Olivia von Halle, whose Missy tracksuit has been seen on J-LO, the Hadid sisters and Adwoa Aboah, suggests a cashmere set doesn’t mean opting out of party season altogether. ‘Make like Gigi,’ she says, ‘and wear yours with a floor-length coat, Nikes and sunglasses to hide your hangover.’