When Jane Fonda burst onto the scene in the early 1980s, neither the fashion nor the fitness world had ever experienced anything quite like her. With her brightly coloured leotards worn over matching footless tights, Fonda and her posse of well-toned pals put the fun into functional fitness clothing. They weren’t afraid to accessorise for an aerobics class, either – leg warmers, waist belts and hair scrunchies all completed the look.
Fonda’s male equivalent was Richard Simmons, who was as well known for his short shorts and mismatched tank tops as he was for his colourful workout videos (sample title: Boogie Down The Pounds). Between the two, they sparked a trend not only for living-room aerobics, but also for treating workout gear as a style statement, something that could and should be worn both on and away from the gym or court. This trend for fitness clothing has continued in various guises ever since.
Let’s get physical
Prior to this heady time of exercise excess, workout clothes were far more polite and were strictly reserved for the time dedicated to working up a sweat and those casual encounters immediately after. In the mid-1950s, fashion began to encroach on women’s activewear, with designers such as Teddy Tinling in London creating the most covetable tennis ensembles (his whites were frequently spotted on court at Wimbledon). In 1956, UK Vogue even featured some of them in a fashion shoot.
The other sport that was making waves in the mid-20th century was skiing. Picture Audrey Hepburn après-ski in Charade, wearing a chic chocolate brown catsuit topped with a mink poncho and trademark dark glasses, and you begin to get the idea.
It was around this time that Italian ski champion Tai Missoni got his start in fashion by designing the uniforms for his country’s Olympic team (of which he was also a part). To this day, Missoni still excels at creating its signature stretchy knitwear for women and men that often looks like it has its roots in the yoga studio, even when it’s designed to make a statement on the streets.
Pump it up
By the 1990s, gym clothes for women were still just as bright as they were in the average Jane Fonda video, but the accessories had started to fall away. After all, that extra attention was needed to remember the complicated step aerobics routines of the time. The other big trend in fitness clothing at this time was the influence of the 1990s hip-hop scene on men and women’s style alike. Sportswear was elevated to cult status, as brands like adidas, Nike and Puma were almost as coveted as Tommy Hilfiger or Rolex. The outfits were colourful, the sneakers were box-fresh white and everything was pumped-up and oversized. This style of workout gear also mirrored a different approach to exercise for men; one that encompassed impromptu games of basketball on the courts and breakdancing all night in the clubs.
Ready to exhale
Almost everything about fashion in the 2000s was a backlash against 1990s style, and the workout outfits were no exception. Instead of energetic aerobics moves, there was yoga; in place of primary colours was basic black. Donna Karan brought the look onto the runway with her AW03 collection in New York. In the years leading up to it, she had famously lost weight and found a new spiritual focus via a regimen of raw foods and yoga. All that was left was to give it a fashion edge, which she did with a collection of skintight catsuits and stretchy dresses that perfectly showed off a yoga-sculpted body. Karan has gone on to embrace the yoga ethos even more fully: the Urban Zen Foundation she founded in 2007 mixes yoga with philanthropy and fashion.
Sport goes luxe
It was around 2014 that fitness clothing came back into fashion in a major way. The so-called sport luxe trend swept runways for SS14, as luxury designers tapped into references from the world of workout gear. Numerous brands showed evening track pants for SS14, complete with an elastic waistband and colourful side stripes; others suggested mesh tank tops, anoraks and other sporty pieces. Fast-forward to 2015 and for men, it was all about pairing a slim sweatshirt or hoodie with jeans, or tapered track pants from Yeezy with a chunky sweater.
The flip side of this athleisure trend was that existing activewear brands suddenly began adding a real fashion edge to their pieces, while other newcomers entered the marked. No longer was it enough to hit the gym in an old T-shirt and faded leggings, it was about choosing between the digital prints offered by Bodyism and the neon colours used by No Ka’ Oi. So it’s safe to say that fashion and fitness are in a symbiotic relationship once again... but please, no leg warmers.