J.Dow Fitness presents colorful and vibrant activewear in sizes XS to 3XL.
J Dow Fitness
Atlanta-based Dr. Jacqueline Dow launched her sports brand J. Dow Fitness as a way to use her public health expertise to better reach her core audience.
“Everyone loves to look good. Self care is very important. I thought fashion was the perfect path,” Dow said in a phone interview.
His timing was perfect. Dow launched J.Dow Fitness in 2018, before athleisure became paramount in everyday wardrobes. Fast-forward to 2022, the research scientist turned designer unveiled an exclusive five-piece collection that hit 1,200 Target stores and online for Black History Month. Available in sizes XS to 3XL, the line focuses on flattering all figures: bras have extra support, waists sit higher, and the fabric has the perfect amount of stretch. The collection will be available through mid-March at Target.
“You can go to any store and buy a pair of black leggings,” said Dow, whose target demographic is women ages 25 to 44. “Colors and patterns have always been something I take pride in. Everything is bright, bold, vibrant, fun and different.”
J.Dow Fitness is among the newest entrants to the sports landscape, a field once dominated by yoga pants, track jackets and sports bras. This week, Spanish luxury fashion house Loewe unveiled its limited edition collection with Swiss sports brand On, including performance tops, technical running pants and running shoes. And earlier this year, in January, Dior launched its Vibe sportswear line in pop-up stores around the world.
Retail analysts and trend trackers see no sign that this comfortable, athletic style of dress is abating.
“Even before the pandemic, comfort played an integral role in fashion. With the tremendous influence of sports and streetwear on trends and remote work here to stay, leisure will continue to dominate,” says Kayla Marci, Market Analyst at Edited.
“While its presence has taken over the way consumers dress for work and everyday, it will not diminish the return of formal and party wear for events and celebrations, and both will co-exist in the age of fashion. pandemic fashion.
According to Statista, the sports apparel market in the US was valued at approximately $105.1 billion in 2020 and is estimated to reach $113.4 billion by 2021.
Marci says that the democratization of sportswear and leisure has also caused fast fashion brands to expand their categories. The number of new arrivals in 2021 is up 21% year over year and 37% compared to 2019, Marci noted, while new products sold for 2021 are up 51%.
Athleisure tastemaker Bella Hadid rocks a tracksuit in New York last summer. (Photo by Gotham City/GC … [+]
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The appeal of athleisure is centered around comfort, but styles have gone far beyond the gym. Take Bella Hadid, considered an athleisure trendsetter, for example, who recently made fashion headlines in a navy blue tracksuit and wide-leg sweatpants in London, a cut that would flatter most body types. , even non-models who aren’t tall and skinny like Hadid.
Athleisure can mean everything from a $10 pair of biker shorts, $78 Aritzia sweatpants to $1200 Chanel sneakers. You can shop the category everywhere from Kohl’s and Target to Amazon, and from Macy’s and Nordstrom, to Neiman Marcus and Netaporter.com.
“Athleisure has evolved throughout the pandemic to focus more on stylish comfort than the laid-back athletic look of the leggings and sweatshirts that launched the category,” says Katie Thomas, leader of the Kearney Consumer Institute, a think tank. intern at global consulting firm Kearney.
“We’ve seen athleisure expand to joggers, sweaters and comfy dresses,” says Thomas. “Another piece of the growing puzzle of sports leisure is the recreational technical team.”
Denim can be next.
“As the definition broadens, I wouldn’t be surprised to see major sports brands launch denim, while trying to stay true to the comfort and ease of movement characteristics of the athleisure segment,” says Thomas. “We’ve seen brands like Allbirds, known for their shoes, move into sportswear, but I anticipate this going the other direction as well.”
Meanwhile, Dow says the response to its capsule collection at Target has been “overwhelming”: celebrities like Tabitha Brown have even discovered the brand. This month, Dow will launch its spring collection on its site, JDowFitness.
“Not everyone has a perfect body and the average woman doesn’t,” says Dow. “This is aimed at women who are trying to be healthy at every stage of their life.”
Source: www.forbes.com