Word: sportswear
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...last year collaborated with designer Stella McCartney, and her debut line of functional and fashionable running and tennis wear sold so well that the German apparel maker committed to working with her until 2010. Such partnerships between the worlds of sports, fashion and Hollywood are quickly making high-performance sportswear, which combines the best of technology with the latest in design trends, the newest battleground in the highly competitive athletic-apparel market. For companies like Adidas and Reebok, developing these lines not only is a smart way to address the increasing demands of the consumer but also makes economic sense...
Adidas, Nike, Champion, Russell and Reebok have long bridged the gap between competitive sports and casual activewear. But increasingly, consumers want both function and fashion from their sportswear. Clothes need to do something?stretch, fight odor, wick moisture, regulate temperature?and look good as well. "We always saw athletic wear and style as mutually exclusive," says Julee Bean of Adidas. "And they don't need to be. You can wear our product in the gym but also wear it to get a latte and still look...
...just general sportswear manufacturers that are taking advantage of the high-tech trend. Even Speedo, a specialty maker of competitive swimwear, sees an opportunity to introduce its brand to a wider audience. Because it invests tens of millions of dollars annually on research into innovative fabrics and designs, it makes sense for the company to bring its technical expertise out of the pool. "Our consumers are demanding the fusion of function and fashion," says Sheree Waterson, president of Speedo...
Although Nike still enjoys the largest market share in the athletic-apparel sector, with 17.5%, Under Armour has been catching up to the sportswear giant when it comes to performance apparel. There Nike owns 37.5% of the market, while Under Armour has 30.5%. For compression apparel, Under Armour's signature product, the company maintains its dominance, commanding 61% of the market, to Nike's 15%. And that's where Under Armour executives plan to start building market share in the larger sportswear sector: from its base of loyal fans who initially go to the brand for specialty products but then...
Azria, 57, has achieved his vision of merging mass appeal and fashion credibility by coupling the sophisticated detail of European tailoring with the casual, unfussy spirit of American sportswear. His primary line, BCBG Max Azria, consists of dresses, denim, outerwear, swimwear, footwear, handbags, sunwear, eyewear, belts, small leather goods and watches as well as men's shirts, tailored clothing and ties. Much of this product expansion is due to a series of licensing contracts Azria began in earnest around 2002. Last year he hired veteran stylist Lori Goldstein to focus BCBG Max Azria, which will have its first runway show...