With the Olympic Games on track for Summer 2012, it’s little surprise designers currently showing at New York Fashion Week have taken inspiration from athletic wear. At EDITD, back in January we predicted that simple, industrial, sporty styles would be a key SS12 theme, and we were right.
On Saturday, Alexander Wang – demigod of luxe sportswear – presented an acclaimed SS12 collection, this time making a more overt reference. Looks were heavily inspired by NASCAR racesuits and BMX jerseys, yet had a finesse that elevated the garments to wearable, sleek and cutting edge pieces.
While the Alexander Wang brand is perpetually loved, our tracking also shows that the number of people mentioning the designer online skyrocketed on September 10, the day of the catwalk show.
Unexpected subscribers to the sports trend include Victoria Beckham. Nylon straps, exposed zips and d-rings energised her otherwise polished offering of immaculately tailored hourglass and shift dresses. Last month saw an increase of 53,000 followers to her @victoriabeckham Twitter profile – so what she’s doing is working!
Designers are putting on their game face – but are consumers interested? We compared mentions online of Sporty vs Tailored looks. Interestingly, both styles featured in our Top 20 most discussed trends this week, but it’s pretty clear which one people prefer!
With plenty of designers getting in on the action and consumers wholeheartedly lapping it up, we look forward to the forthcoming season of activewear inspired fashion. Suzanne Somers, pass the ThighMaster please.
Katie Smith
