The Active Edit

This season, the contemporary activewear category re-invents itself with styles that double as everyday closet staples to cater to an increased interest in active lifestyles by consumers. 

Activewear and wellness-related products are now a staple in consumer’s wardrobes, and as a result, brands are incorporating elevated, versatile styles which push the category beyond just fitness. According to MAGIC’s parent company, MMGNET Group’s 2024 US Fashion Consumer Outlook Report, “A desire for health and wellbeing pushes brands to increasingly focus on performance…Consumers are increasingly attracted to technical attributes, even for styles worn for everyday life.” Tony Sanchez, VP of Sales at Z Supply explains, “Wellness and sports are not just a fad, but a way of living, and as more and more information and studies out there link this to a long life, positive mental health and quality of living, this will remain so. It’s become an integral part of her [the consumer’s] daily routine, 365 days a year. This in turn affects what women wear, not only for specific activities, but for expressing that healthy, happy lifestyle outside of physical activities too.” 

Contemporary brands, across categories, are adapting to suit a more active consumer: sportswear brands like Williams Athletic Club are taking a “fashion-first approach” and daily-wear brands like bobi Los Angeles are incorporating sports-ready styles and materials like terry cloth into everyday apparel. The brand’s Director, Jacqueline Krafka, shares “A must have from our collection would be our Terry Cloth assortment: It is the perfect collection of items that crossover from your day-to-day fashion choices – versatile enough to wear from a casual day out and about, running errands, brunching with friends to packing for travel. The Terry collection is true resortwear that works whether you’re heading to the pool or beach to hitting the courts for Tennis or Pickleball.” 

Read on to discover key contemporary womenswear brands, styles, and insider insight to consider as you shop for active-driven products and apparel at the upcoming Las Vegas event this August 19-21, 2024. 

View the full Contemporary Womens Collectons brand list

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SPORTY SPICE

Pulling from 90’s and Y2K inspiration, you’ll be able to shop the “retro European soccer-inspired sneakers mega trend” from Back 70 at the upcoming Las Vegas event in August. Tamara Conti, Sales Executive and Brand Ambassador for Back 70, Naked Feet, and OTBT elaborates, “Our styles ‘Ghost’ and ‘Cloud’ are the shoes of the moment – following the trend while offering something unique at the same time with specialty materials, metallics, and pop colors that differentiate them from competitors. They're made for an in-touch boutique shopper who requires something more exquisite, apart from big box brands.”

“Consumers are looking for heritage over hype.”

– Susi Proudman, founder of Williams Athletic Club

SELF CARE = PERSONALIZATION

An increased movement towards wellness and self-care, means consumers are and will continue to be driven towards items that make them feel one-of-a-kind, rather than mass produced products. Pulling from MMGNET Group’s SS25 Market Shifts Report, “ThredUp’s 2023 resale report shows 56% of Gen Z and Millennials would forego the latest trends for a one-of-a-kind look instead” and, “FTI’s 2023 US online retail survey shows that 70% of consumers were likely to switch to a retailer offering better personalization services, including AI assisted recommendation technologies.”

Conti’s perspective aligns with the research– she shares, “In a space where everyone is sharing their style [on social media], the consumer needs to find a way to be on trend, but still be unique in their expression of style. We really feel the entire Back 70 collection is at a sweet spot for the future of women's sneaker trends with a higher level of differentiation in materials and detailing that allows our consumer to express their energy in new and exciting ways.”