BY JAY AQUINO

NOVEMBER 1, 2024

Today, athleisure is no longer reserved for workout sessions; it’s now a go-to-choice for everything from brunch gatherings to Zoom meetings. This transformation represents the broader cultural shift where comfort, adaptability, and ease are prioritized in fashion choices. As Kate Hardcastle of Forbes notes, over 80% of people now consider comfort more important than cost or even style, propelling athleisure into the mainstream. So, how did this shift occur, and what made athleisure a cultural mainstay?

At its core, athleisure clothing is about comfort. Unlike traditional, often rigid clothing, athleisure offers soft, stretchy, and breathable materials designed for ease and movement. In warm climates like the Philippines or Singapore, lightweight, airy fabrics make athleisure ideal, catering to the region’s need for clothes that are suitable for various occasions, like shopping in the city kind of day to weekend outdoor adventures.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a turning point for athleisure. With a widespread pivot to remote work and virtual gatherings, formal dress codes relaxed, and people prioritized clothes that balanced comfort and style. Nathaniel Meyersohn of CNN said that Lululemon, a global clothing brand, saw a 2% increase in sales during the quarter ending in August 2020, compared with the same period in 2019. Today, the athleisure industry has an estimated worth of $388.30 billion USD, which attracted fashion heavyweights like Gucci and Louis Vuitton to collaborate with established sportswear brands like Adidas and Nike, respectively. 

Pop culture has played an instrumental role in athleisure’s rise. Films like Challengers showcase characters donning the “athlete-meets-runway” look, while music videos and celebrity endorsements reinforce the appeal of sports-inspired fashion. Daisy Murray of Elle stated that fashion is now rife with sports-inspired pieces like tennis skirts, polos, and stylish sneakers, all thanks to an increasing cultural fixation on sporty yet polished attire. Furthermore, social media platforms, especially TikTok and Instagram, have significantly contributed to athleisure’s rapid growth, particularly among Gen Z consumers. From “outfit of the day” videos to influencer-driven brand recommendations, these platforms make it easy to showcase athleisure’s adaptability and style. According to Statista, over three-fifths of Gen Z consumers in the U.S. planned to purchase athletic clothing from Nike in 2023, positioning the brand as a favorite among younger audiences. This widespread sharing of athleisure looks on social media has solidified the style as both practical and fashionable, creating an iconic aesthetic for the digital age.

Athleisure’s influence isn’t limited to Western markets; it has gained significant traction in Southeast Asia, particularly among men in countries like the Philippines and Singapore. Filipino men, for instance, favor items like joggers, running shorts, minimalist hoodies, and versatile sneakers, which are ideal for various settings like a full day stroll in the city to outdoor adventures.

In today’s fashion landscape, style and practicality are no longer in opposition. As more people prioritize comfort and versatility, athleisure will remain a significant part of the cultural conversation, reshaping our approach to daily attire and the fashion industry as a whole. More people would mix athletic and casual wear, and luxury brands will continue to merge performance with high fashion, cementing athleisure’s role in the future of style.

Nike X Jacquemus - Tracksuit Jacket - 10,337.24 PHP

Photo credit: Jacquemus

On X Loewe - Active T-Shirt Loewe - 21,287.06 PHP

Photo credit: Jacquemus

Adidas Originals By Wales Bonner - Wales Bonner Track Pants - 14,548.71 PHP

Photo credit: Adidas

Banner photo credit: Loewe

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Prices in this article is not the actual price of the product. This is only to give our audience some guide. The prices were extracted from Nike's, Adidas 'and On's website and it was converted to peso on November 1, 2024 using the exchange rate at that time.