Activewear In The Workplace?
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer
These days, society is becoming more and more actively engaged in the desire to look good, feel good, work out and wear exercise attire more often. Quite honestly, it is not unusual to see activewear in the workplace. For that very reason, INVISTA is exploring unchartered areas as fashion continues to evolve.
Fiber-maker INVISTA recently unveiled a showcase collection from emerging designers eager to explore the fashion potential of outdoor wear. Using the latest consumer insights, and with help from fashion tech startup Manufacture New York (MNY), INVISTA’s showcase collection combines new designs with fabric and fiber innovations namely T400® technology by LYCRA® brand and LYCRA® SPORT fiber.
In the last year, INVISTA has surveyed over 1,000 consumers of Active and Outdoor apparel to first and foremost get to the root of their needs and desires. The research showed that both men and women would pay more for added benefits such as quick dry. It was concluded that lifestyle considerations – such as going from the gym to the workplace to the bar – were fueling these buying trends. Over 40% of men want better fit (“I like outdoor clothing that I can also easily wear around the city day-to-day without looking or feeling out of place” said a male consumer), while over 70% of women surveyed wear their black workout leggings when hanging out.
“There’s been a sizeable shift in corporate culture recently, with active and outdoor wear being embraced by busy millennial professionals,” explained Heather Stefani, INVISTA’s Global Segment Director, Active and Outdoor. “We’re excited to be in the thick of this changing mindset because companies are starting to understand the need for commuter wear and to accept it as part of the working lifestyle.”
Stefani says that a real turning point has been the merging of technologies, like INVISTA’s T400® and COOLMAX® technologies. Conveniently, these fibers add just the right amount of stretch and freedom of movement needed for biking and hiking thereby providing the perfect foundation for casual business wear.
To help bring this showcase collection to life, INVISTA worked with one of the most exciting startups in fashion tech. One of those major innovators in the fashion marketplace is Manufacture New York (MNY), a hub that is dedicated to providing independent fashion designers with the resources and skills to streamline their process, from concept to customer. As an innovation hub, MNY is also leading the design and production of the next generation of wearable technology.
MNY CEO Bob Bland says the resulting outdoor wear is a true merging of fashion and function: “We’re very excited to partner with INVISTA because we see this as a real opportunity to innovate. The challenge for our designers was to incorporate INVISTA’s breakthrough fabrics and fibers into designs that could live just as comfortably in an outdoor setting as a conference room.”
Said Stefani, “Essentially, we’re pairing cutting-edge designers with cutting-edge fabrics. And since the workplace is changing, with commuter wear assuming a more prominent position in the workplace, we have a chance to help shape the future of athleisure.”
Keep an eye out for this new fashion revolution and stylish attire right to the finish line.
