Fitness Fashion Trends 2020

Kellie Daggett H&F fashion stylist

‘The shows for S/S19 were many things this season, but what united them was their search for an expression of female empowerment,’

ECO ACTIVE WEAR

‘As people become ever more conscious about the impact our growing activewear obsession is having on landfills, oceans and the wider environment, this year sees more stylish, sustainable and fashionable activewear brands reusing ocean plastic or minimising fabric waste. It’s all about quality, not quantity. Trend forecaster WGSN predicts the activewear of the future will be made from sustainable materials such as corn, coconut and coffee beans. For a luxe choice, Bellum Active clothing is unbelievably gorgeous (if expensive), and made from 65 per cent fif’-Wcled compression fabric and regenerated yarn .W.-W.-le fitness underwear is made from 100 per OrW W.ech free pulp while, with the newly launched brand, every piece is made to order in minimise waste.’

Fitness Fashion Trends 2020 Photo Gallery

THE STATEMENT TRAINER

‘Last year saw the rise of the ugly trainer, led by the Balenciaga Triple S, and it looks like the bold and chunky trend is set to continue, filtering down to the high street. At the SS19 shows, chunky trainers were paired with trouser suits and blazers, floral dresses and pencil skirts, offering a refreshing and attainable styling note, often teamed with statement sporty socks. It’s a look that will be worn for work and play this summer for sure. Also trickling over from AW18 is the hiking boot, teamed with all things girly…’

SURF CULTURE

‘This was another big trend at the shows, with labels including Etro and Armani.

The latter sent bare-chested male models clutching branded surfboards down the runway. Meanwhile, at the Sportmax show, colourful prints came in surf-inspired offerings teamed with cycling shorts, crumpled bucket hats worn with cropped hoodies and funky walking sandals. This Summer, the high street will be awash with chunky rope and velcro sporty sandals and surf-inspired pieces not just to be worn by the sea but definitely to be seen in…’

INCLUSIVITY

‘With the growing body-positivity movement, high-street and online brands are expanding their active ranges to include ‘plus size’ lines. Statistics show the average size tor women in the UK is 16, yet traditionally fitnesswear brands have tended to offer clothing up to a size 16, or 18 at the most. Now, as fitness generally becomes more inclusive, brands are beginning to cater to a wider market, both in their ranges and their advertising. ASOS Curve offers activewear in sizes up to 30 and Pretty Little Thing offers sizes up to 26, all modelled online by correspondingly sized models. The major sportswear labels not already offering larger sizes are looking to follow suit.’

It’s all about women feeling as comfortable and confident as possible – so super-high-waisted leggings, higher necklines and long sleeves are here to stay, allowing you to focus on your workouts without worrying about flashing the flesh, whatever your size. Yes, there will always be a place for crop fops and little shorts, but there’s a definite trend towards covering up more. Seamless fabrics mean you can wear full-coverage clothes without suffering bulky seams, and many of the pieces also offer the fitness benefits of compression.’

VELVET

‘Velvet seems to be everywhere at the moment, and we don’t see it slowing down anytime soon. We’re seeing a lot of A-game velvet from brands such as Alo and Alala. It’s great not only for post-workout sweat sets, but feminine bra and legging duos. The aesthetic is cosy, luxurious and, most importantly, transitional from day to night. We’ve gone for classic black styles for the colder months, but riding on this success, we hope to see new colour updates as we move into spring.’

RETRO COLOUR-BLOCKING

‘Vintage vibes meet cutting-edge performance. Brands leading this trend include PE Nation, Ivy Park and Splits59. Retro colour blocking through the use of stripes is at the heart of P.E Nation’s aesthetic.

We’ll see this trend continue through seasonal colour updates. The use of orange is definitely more prevalent too. P.E Nation definitely knows how to pick more daring colourways and put these together in a collection and it just works.’

PIECES

‘We love metallics throughout the year and they make great gifts… to ourselves! Something that’s so exciting about this trend is its variety. We have the subtle, black-on-black, wet-look or statement prints in camo, stars, cheetah, florals, galactic and chevrons from ultra-luxe brands Ultracor and vibrant Terez. These brands are the all-stars of foil in activewear and they offer this at varied price points, depending on your budget. Beyond Yoga’s Alloy Speckle sets are best-selling styles and there’s a dusted Rose Gold, slightly iridescent set from Beyond for spring that we’ve all got our eye on.’