Tag Archives: adidas

Fitness Fashion Friday – Stella for Adidas, and The London Olympics

The world of fitness fashion is growing at a fast pace. According to market research firm GIA, the global market for fitness clothing is expected to reach 126 billion by the year 2015. This is due to, according to GIA, “dramatic lifestyle changes and the desire for stylish, functional and versatile sports apparel.”

I live in Los Angeles, where people don two uniforms – red carpet clothes or workout wear. And while I too spend most of my days in fitness clothing, I love fashion, and am constantly seeking unique pieces, creating ensembles reflective of a personal style.

Lucky for us the options are growing everyday. Recent workout fashion history has gone from spandex leotards and day-glo parachute pants to sustainable materials and tailored designs… I’m still holding my breath for a Rodarte dancewear line.

You always remember your first, and my first brand loyalty went to Stella McCartney and her line for Adidas.  What still draws me to these clothes is the combination of Stella McCartney’s impeccable Saville Row tailoring, with her sense of whimsy. Stella McCartney makes workout clothes that are both fun and smart. One of the first to elevate workout wear to a high-end sense of style, her designs have made lasting impacts throughout the fitness apparel world. It’s not just about looks, McCartney is an active person herself, and it shows in the practical aspects of the clothing and materials as well.

While her last few collections for Adidas were not as strong as the preceding ones, McCartney’s made a strong showing with her Olympic Designs for England, who is also hosting this Summer’s Olympic Games (July 27th – August 12th) in London.

Having worked on the line for over two years,  McCartney told UK Vogue that she considers her country’s flag as one of the most iconic.

Recognizing the Union Jack colors are similar to a lot of other flags, and that the flag might be overused as the Olympic build-up continued,  McCartney chose different shades to express the Union Jack aesthetic, wanting athletes to feel identifiable as Team Great Britain, but unique and yet respectful of the flag’s beauty.

Fitness apparel and the greatest fashion invention of all time

Lycra…or the less appreciated term…spandex.

It’s arguably the greatest fashion invention of the 20th century and completely revolutionized how we dress, move, and grow our girth, in clothing. It’s a safe bet that synthetic, stretchy fabrics are on your body somewhere right now.

Nylon, developed by Du Pont chemicals in 1935,  revolutionized women’s hosiery in the 1940’s and eventually led to the development of…Lycra, generally known in the US as spandex. While celebrated in the eighties, most of us cringe at the mention of donning spandex today, unless that is, you shop at American Apparel. Synonymous with the flashy neon sheen of aerobic wear of the 1980s, the word spandex is actually an anagram for the word expands.  Apart from fitness apparel, spandex is in almost everything we wear – bras, underwear, belts, socks, jeans, pants, dresses – you name it.
Despite comfort and expandability, fitness fashion is often lacking in the “fashion” part of design. Thankfully,  there are a few designers tackling well-tailored sportswear which is not an easy task. Stella McCartney creates gorgeous and functional athletic wear for Adidas,  while Jeremy Scott, Yohji Yamamoto, Alexander McQueen, and the Japanese design house, Undercover have all attempted to elevate the look and feel of classic sportswear apparel, and the under appreciated reputation of spandex.