Apparel Online India Magazine December 1st Issue 2018 | Page 10

WORLD WRAP
A growing need for wellness is evolving
fashion globally. How big is the market?
The wellness industry is today reported to be worth over US $ 3.72 trillion representing more than 5 per cent of
all global economic output. From the modern day consumer, to retailers, start-ups and corporations, everyone
is entering the market to gain their share of this booming market space. According to the report, ‘Health and
Wellness Market: Growth, Future Prospects and Competitive Analysis 2018-2026’ – “The global health and wellness
market is projected to witness a CAGR of 5.9 per cent from 2018 to 2026.” Indeed, the entire ‘wellness’ sector
is exploding with possibilities, and the fashion market seems to be embracing the phenomenon as a favourable
business strategy.
E
ntering the wellness space needs a
proper understanding of the term
first. By definition, the ‘modern-day
wellness’ refers to ‘holistic healthy
living’ characterised by physical,
mental, social and spiritual well-being
– a trend that is gaining traction across
multiple industries. The apparel and
activewear/athleisure industry in
particular is being impacted the most,
as consumers today associate how they
dress, directly to their overall wellness.
A simple T-shirt that can effortlessly
transform from a gym look to an outfit
that can complement the rest of the day
– is where lies the basic idea of fashion
mixing with wellness. Clothing in this
industry is directly proportional to a
healthy lifestyle, and comfort across
routines, while the style lines between
work and leisure are also blurring.
The trend in the fashion retail market
first started when many high-street
“72% of millennials
would rather
spend money on
experiences than
on material goods.
For millennials,
wellness is a daily,
active pursuit,
and one they are
willing to spend
on. Many of them
bring fitness
into everyday
life visibly by
wearing athleisure
apparel for all
kinds of activities
other than working
out,” says the
Harris Group
A look inside Lululemon’s store, giving a close peek into the growing wellness fashion market
brands started adding an activewear
line to their offerings. Currently, all
fast-fashion brands like H&M, Zara
and Forever 21 have an easy to spot
activewear/athleisure section in their
stores – with products ranging from
yoga pants, jogger pants to tank tops,
sports bras, hoodies, and so on.
Year 2017 witnessed bigger
collaborations happening
between high-end designers and
sportswear brands as well as the
partnership between Adidas and
Stella McCartney. The athleisure
collection was a careful mix of yoga
attires and gym accessories that
had the athletic quality of Adidas,
and also the designer aesthetic of
Stella McCartney. Simply put, with
such partnerships, items that were
once focused on performance and
functionality are now being given a
designer reinterpretation. Two more
collections that made it big in the
wellness market were collaborations
between designer Alexander Wang
and H&M; and between Louis Vuitton
and the brand Supreme.
But it’s not only the fashion brands
that are getting into the wellness
market...; in fact, the market has
witnessed a reverse trend as well, with
gyms and other wellness-based health
activity providers launching their own
activewear collections. SoulCycle, a
New York City-based fitness company
with studios in 15 US states and 3
studio locations in Canada, launched
a line of high-end workout clothing
which includes items such as US $ 185
leggings, US $ 125 sports bras and
even a US $ 655 bomber jacket meant
to be worn to and from class. Recent
activewear market reports conclude
that since gyms have now fully evolved
into social experiences rather than
Adidas by Stella McCartney collection – where sports meet designer aesthetic, expanding the reach of
the wellness market
10 Apparel Online India | DECEMBER 1-15, 2018 | www.apparelresources.com