Being a devout follower of Activewear trends (it’s been my daily ‘uniform’ for over a decade as a personal trainer), I relished the opportunity to visit PURE London a few weeks back. It’s the monster-scale Fashion Industry ‘trade show’ at London’s cavernous Olympia which, amongst other genres, showcases a tonne of new sportswear that’s about to hit the market! I sifted through over 700 brands, and this, my dear reader, is a quick and easy-to-digest roundup showcasing what I thought were the top 5 discoveries – these are brands to keep your eyes on over the next few months! Click MORE to see them all…
PURE London is a fashion trade show on a scale I’ve not seen before; there are over 700 brands showcasing their latest womenswear, menswear, footwear, accessories, jewelry to key buyers and trend-watchers. For the first time, and one of the reasons I was so keen to visit, there was a dedicated Athleisure section crammed with some fascinating international & British activewear companies. I stumbled upon many amazing brands there, but in the interest of palatability, have listed a varied top 5 below. Here’s what you might be wearing to workout in by the time we hit Spring/Summer18!
1) LIVE!
I was drawn to the brand because of its bold, loud colors, and hyper-vibrant prints. Gym floors remain the only safe environments in which to wear totally mental clothes, and this company has just the ticket for that. BUT they also have more… Expect colorful pieces to dress up or down, ideal if you want to make a statement!
ABOUT: A Brazilian sportswear brand, absolutely giant in its home country since its birth in 2002, and which has only just arrived in the UK. Colorful, bold, bright prints, with active denim…
CHECK OUT! The most notable pieces, for me, were the denim-effect leggings (jeggings aren’t new, but the execution here is by far and a way the best I’ve seen), the high waisted leggings and the ‘glowing’ pieces. Yes, not just reflective but luminescent-glowing!
Aside from sportswear they also do some sexy Beachwear. Oh, and when the campaign is fronted by Nina Agdal, I’m taking a look. #fangirl
2) ACAI
I was instantly attracted to this brand because of their fun, feminine and light-hearted prints. Expect girly pinks and soft tones combined with flattering shapes to emphasize the female form.
ABOUT: Graduate of Edinburgh College of Art, Kasia Bromley ships in inspiration and passion from her extensive experience of working for high fashion brands such as Alexander McQueen and the technical sportswear brand Endura.
Check out! The Seam Free Inner Leg Technology – which provides comfort and fit, plus eliminating the risk of skin irritation during intense exercise. Also of note is the super light-weight, sweat wicking, water repellant, ’Acai outdoor trouser’ hike / casual skinny trouser. Comes in red and back! Perfect for trekking as well as the office.
3) MISS RUNNER
I was drawn over to the stand mainly by the gorgeous blue water-colored yoga mat I spotted, and a playful blue sports bra along with some beautiful prints.
ABOUT: This is an activewear brand based in Hong Kong which collaborates with one artist at a time to create gorgeous prints and patterns, encouraging people to embrace wearable art.
CHECK OUT: Keep an eye out for new hidden talents as they share their prints. The gorgeous lace up leggings, cute tie-around leggings create an elegant and pretty ‘dance-chic’ look. Finally, and this is my favorite, the ‘Ice Queen Travel Mat’ which is light and foldable, with enhanced gripping power and a suede top makes it a pretty awesome travel mat!
4) EIVY
I was instantly attracted to the nature prints. As it turned out the brand was Swedish so perhaps it was my inner Swede recognizing the foresty natural prints!
ABOUT: Swedish sportswear brand Eivy was born out of necessity by founder and designer Anna Vister when she was snowboarding in St Anton, Austria, back in ’09. She was tired of feeling cold when snowboarding so created her own base layers which were functional but also stylish enough to wear for après-ski, working out, traveling, chilling at home and even perhaps to the club feeling and looking fresher than ever! Since then the range has developed and you can now find cute fitness apparel to wear to the gym or yoga too!
Based in the mountain resort of Åre, Sweden, they design, develop and test all their equipment themselves, in some of the toughest cold environmental conditions possible.
Check out! Awesome base layers, obviously but some beautiful, natural Nordic prints.
5) HBT COLLECTION
ABOUT: This French brand is sadly not stocking in the UK yet but fingers crossed, because it mixes what seems like credible street style and functional credentials to its activewear offering. It’s got an urban feel with earthy tones, and oversized pants and tops hanging loosely on the body, yet with materials which make it feel high quality. It’s certainly one to watch!
Here are some of the other bits and pieces I encountered along the way! The show returns in February so perhaps pop along to the next installment and see for yourself!
