Several recent activewear collaborations have involved specialist brands noted for their expertise in yoga, dance, fitness, and bodywear pairing with celebrities and designers:
- Gaiam signed actress Jessica Biel for the latter’s first capsule collection. Products include leggings and tops, as well as capris and jackets, in neutral colors. Distribution is through retailers and etailers including Macy’s, Bloomingdales, and activewear shop Bandier.
- Lululemon worked with Central Saint Martins on three activewear styles involving student artwork digitized into six fabric patterns. The March 2018 capsule, titled “The Art of Motion,” was sold in select Lululemon stores and online and was a reboot of a previous capsule with the London art university.
- Danskin is creating an assortment with dancer and actress Jenna Dewan. The 16 pieces include bra tops, crop tops, leggings, leotards, unitards, and sweatshirts. Dewan has been a brand ambassador for Danskin since 2016 and the collaboration grew from there.
- Bodyism, a high-tech activewear brand tied to a chain of fitness clubs headquartered in London, paired with designer Emilia Wickstead. Wickstead, known for her bridalwear and evening dresses, created a 13-piece collection including a yoga mat, sports bras, leggings, hoodies, sweaters, and a jumpsuit emphasizing the designer’s trademark color palette dominated by dusty pink and black.
Licensor interest in the long-hot athleisure sector has waned somewhat from its peak level of activity, as measured by the sheer number of deals being signed. But pure activewear—focused more on performance than on athleisure’s gym-to-grocery-shopping flexibility—continues to see new collaborations come on the scene, as shown by these recent deals involving dance and fitness specialist marketers.
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