Activewear On The Up and Up
The global sports wear clothing market which includes the active wear and yoga pant market for women is booming in the US and by 2019 it is set to be worth around $178 billion dollars so says Trefis a market research firm based in Boston. So Venus Cow and the PBL Perfect black leggings are on track to join this fast growing phenomenon as a desire for function in fashion surpasses just plain old fashion.
It seems that black leggings or yoga pants as they are known in America have taken over from jeans as the perfect staple fashion item every girl and woman has in their wardrobe. We have all put on some weight and now prefer comfort and functionality over trends it seems. The 1980’s, and I was there brought us high legged leotards and shiny lycra but this time around Marshall Cohen from NY market research firm NPD says “This is not a fashion trend, it’s a lifestyle trend.”
The great thing about investing in a good pair of black leggings is they can take you from day to night, casual to party, lunch to dinner and work to a club just by some clever styling and like the growing army of women choosing good quality & comfortable active wear over high disposable fashion, I love wearing my luxury black staples, jazzing them up with a large brightly coloured tote bag or a soft leather jacket, ankle boots and maybe just some bold costume jewellery.
Once upon a time leggings were seen as a no no fashion staple because looking casual and like you were off to the gym could not translate into glamour but these days every celebrity on the planet has a pair and not just as active wear but everyday day wear.
In 2013 the women’s activewear market in the USA alone was worth a staggering $11.5 billion up 9% on the previous year according to Business Of Fashion and the general consensus amongst industry analysts is this is an upward trend showing no signs of stopping.
Having lived in LA for 6 years my dread of wearing trainers quickly disappeared thanks to pretty much every hot trendy young fashion conscious gal living in them and now I am back in the UK I team mine up with my leggings and I am ready to go and not just for a jog.
Someone who always looks chic in her casual active wear is Hollywood actress Melanie Griffiths often papped leaving the gym in LA oozing style and youth.