Olympics Flaunting The Evolution Of Sportswear
Staying high on the Olympics energy, today we will take you on an informative journey about the evolution of sportswear to date. Sportswear is an integral part of the Fashion Industry. Every fashion design student in his/her tenure of learning, works in this section and showcases the understanding of sportswear. While experimentation with the sportswear is an ever-going process, the ultimate goal is always focused on providing comfort and free movement.
After the pandemic-hit, the market of sportswear has increased manifold. Gone are those days when activewear was only reserved for sportspeople. Now, activewear has made its mark in street fashion too. This amalgamation of athletic wear with our dailywear showcases a cultural shift that is towards accomplishing comfort in our everyday style. But this is the story of last year.
If we look at the history of sportswear that we get to view vividly during Olympics events, the section has seen tremendous changes. From being a part of only sportsmen’s lifestyle to finding its way in women’s wardrobe and now becoming a part of our everyday life, sportswear and the brand catering into this department have always been seen experimenting with their quality and design as per the demand of the sports enthusiast.
Today, we will take a close look at how the sportswear industry has grown by leaps and bounds and what new has come into this section.
1. Rise of Athleisure:
You must have got the hint of it. The term athleisure is coined from athletic and leisure and is a crossover of sportswear and our casual clothes. When the COVID pandemic hit in the year 2020 and lockdown was implemented, our active life came to a halt. But it saw a rise in indoor exercise sessions. With this shift, the demand for athletic wear also grew. And not only for the exercise hour, the comfort of activewear enchanted people, making them include it in their daily wear. The meteoric rise of the demand of athleisure also caused a mix-match of fabric with a woke crowd going for natural fibers included in their fabric along with the fibers like spandex, nylon, polyester and more.
2. The Evolution Of Fiber:
There was a time when the access to fibers was limited. Now with the evolution, new fibers have popped up in the market that are able to deliver better sportswear that we get to see during various sports events like Olympics, World Championship, National Championship and more . Use of spandex in active wear has become integral. Spandex or elastane gives the outfit stretchability needed by the sportsperson. Moreover, it also has quick recovery time and adds to the durability of the apparel to safeguard it from wear and tear that could happen during any activity. The athletic wear also needs to be breathable and wrinkle resistant that is achieved by a combination of man-made fibers. The fibers have evolved in the terms of their moisture control ability too. Some sports events need fabrics that have water resistant quality while others need to have moisture absorption quality with a quick-dry approach. Today in the sportswear section, fibers like polyester, nylon, spandex, bamboo, supplex and more are used with an ultimate aim of delivering comfort to the athletes along with supporting them in their performance.
3. Inclusion Of Technology:
Technology has entered the segment of sportswear too. The introduction of microfibers that form the base for spandex outfit is an approach that every brand is religiously following. Apart from it, introduction of nano-tech with microencapsulation techniques has also become a trend where the core area of fibers are injected with various properties needed in the fabric. The inclusion of microchip is also proving to be helpful in recording the basal temperature, blood pressure, muscle tension and more of the wearer. People also want fabrics that can aid their health and abiding by the same, brands are introducing compression clothing in their range that improves blood circulation of the wearer.
4. Change In Structure:
If we look at the sportwear of a few decades back, the fit and structure used are very different from what we notice today. Nowadays form-fitted outfits are opted for. It has various benefits. A form-fitted attire helps the judges to evaluate the form of the athlete which is required in Olympics sports events like gymnasium, weightlifting, and more. With the right fabric and technology, the outfit also supports the sports person during the performance. Moreover, even while exercising, form-fitted apparel helps you see if you are able to work on the focus area or not.
At JD Institute of Fashion Technology, we help our students in identifying the market culture along with giving them the freedom and platform to express their creativity. As sportswear forms such an important segment of the fashion industry, fashion design students enthusiastically work in this zone to curate breathtaking design along with including technology in it.
Here are a few looks that we saw in our collection of 2019 from the JEDIIANS:
1. Know Noise:
Curated by Vrinda Goyal, this athleisure collection was inspired from the predicaments faced by the individuals with hearing impairment. Our aspiring designer in her assemblage went for a wearable tech-solution that enhances hearing through hearing aids like arm extension along with omnidirectional noise cancellation.
2. Revitalized Sportees:
Another collection that left us spellbound was curated by Deeksha M Jain and Sonal R who showed their inclination towards nature. The designers curated the athleisure by upcycling old-Tshirts and used combed cotton fabrics for their line-up. The athleisure was inspired from the bright colours and shapes found in nature and the designers also opted for fabric manipulation to create one-of a kind assemblage.
3. Agada:
The collection curated by Dhruvi Shah and Aswathy Arun was inspired by Yoga. The collection included outfits created from breathable fabrics including the traditional touch of yoga with modernization. Natural dyes and fibers were used to create each and every piece of the assemblage while emphasizing on the khadi industry.
With the on-set of Winter Olympics 2022, we are pumped up about sportswear and want to share the intricate understanding of it with you. At JD Institute of Fashion Technology, we always focus on mutual learning and inculcate the likewise culture in our students too.
