Those looking to strike a balance between active and comfort are finally being catered for.
There has been a massive uprise in the market for Athleisure wear in Ireland, as more and more people want their clothing to be suitable for going to the gym, or their own form of fitness, as well as being fashionable enough to wear during their down time, too.
The worldwide market is HUGE, with the athleisure segment worth over $270 billion worldwide. In fact, the market itself has grown by over 40% since the turn of the decade.
With the arrival of the new pop-up store in Arnotts (which will be there until Sunday 14 October), JOE went to chat with Gym+Coffee co-founder Diarmuid McSweeney to find out brought about the rise of athleisure wear in Ireland:
"I guess it's not so much about that athleisure wear has become popular, it's more that the lifestyle and culture has significantly changed in Ireland in recent years and now everyone wants it. Gym+Coffee was born out of the recognition of that lifestyle change. People just don’t want to hang out in pubs and bars as much and people are looking for active things to do at the weekends. Cafes are becoming the new places to meet and socialise.
"We all spent time in Australia and San Francisco where this lifestyle is a bit more prominent and we could see Ireland catching up with this. So we wanted to create a brand that encouraged this lifestyle. We also saw the big rise in athleisure clothing, people everywhere wearing hoodies and yoga pants.
"Again this is something you’d really notice in the US and Oz. The lifestyle started to change here as people returned home after the recession and as increasing amounts of international workers moved to Ireland. We felt there was an opportunity here for an Irish brand in this space, we thought this could be the way we could connect to an active audience."
The want is real, but what about the need for the look?
It can be a tough one to not look too trendy for the gym, or not look too gym-ready for a hang-out session.
We all know that one person who seems to only wear gym-specific clothing, and... it just isn't a good look. Not on anyone. So how easy (or difficult) is it not to sway that balance too far one way or the other?
"That definitely is a constant challenge. We are always trying to strike that balance of fashion and function. All of our range is designed with that in mind. It must be appropriate for wearing to the gym or a run and also catching with friends after for a coffee too.
"We are not promising to create the most innovative, technical clothing in the world and we are also not cheap but we will guarantee this will match your lifestyle. We are constantly researching and analysing our community to see what they do, where they do it and then designing our range to suit those activities and passions."
And then what about trends, or styles?
When it comes to fashion on the whole, things are constantly changing. You won't be wearing the same t-shirts and shirts and hoodies in summer that you will be wearing in winter.
Is that a concern with athleisure wear, that trends and styles will be changing faster than your look (and wallet) can keep up with them?
"We believe we have core products and seasonal items that follow trends like most brands. However we are slightly different due to our relatively young age. Since launching we have focused on products that have universal appeal and ones we believe will remain strong performers for a number of years.
"For example, some of our hoodie styles and colours have continued to show strong sales regardless of time of year. From the beginning of next year, we will start to fall into line more with industry norms and deliver collections which have trend or seasonal colour pantones. It will be interesting to see how our audience react to that approach."
