Sporting a great new look

Tag : functionality fabric
It's hard to look glamorous when you're working out, which explainswhy many women prefer to don slouchy tees and well-worn sweatsinstead. Who can blame them when the options have been so limitedup to now? Few athletic brands provide workable yet stylish sportsgear.
Luckily for fashionistas, times are changing, with big names suchas Puma and adidas enlisting the help of top designers to createsleek yet usable items that wouldn't look out of place on the pagesof Vogue .
"As people in Hong Kong become increasingly concerned abouttheir health and fitness, coupled with the popularity and lifestyleappeal of sports clothing, demand for stylish sportswear that isboth functional and fashionable is on the rise," says AdrianSiu Ka-lok, general manager of adidas Hong Kong.
Tom Gartside, designer and owner of new yoga label Carrot, Banana& Peach, agrees. "Whether you are on the field or indoors,let's face it, you are on display. You are `performing' and, assuch, you want to have the confidence that what you are wearingsuits your figure and personality," he says.
When it comes to shopping for workout clothes, experts say thefunctionality of the piece should still be the top priority.
"Customers should always understand the nature of the sportand what is required before shopping for athletic wear. They shouldbear in mind that comfort and breathable fabrics are necessities inany sport. Other elements of style, such as design and colour, aremore personal preferences and come after," says Michell LamWai-yiu, regional retail manager of Pure.
In terms of summer trends, expect to see plenty of body-consciousgym wear for women, with racer-back tank tops or sports bras pairedwith matching trousers featuring lower waistlines and flared legs.Styles feature stripes in pink, teal, red and yellow, or functionalelements such as built-in cups for bust enhancement and trousersfitted with a little skirt for a body-conscious silhouette.
Canadian brand lululemon athletica, in particular, is famous forits dense yet stretchy material that sucks in all the wobbly bitsto give wearers a sleeker look.
This season Carrot, Banana & Peach is offering form-fitting,breathable yoga clothes made from natural fibres, featuring anombre (colour graduations) effect for something a little different.
Other sportswear labels are going a step further with visuallyflattering gym clothes created by renowned international designers.
Adidas, for example, has launched golf, dance and yoga linesdesigned by Stella McCartney. For summer, the new golf collectionfeatures pieces made using 100 per cent organic fabric, inspired bymenswear silhouettes. Look for modified trenchcoats (pictured) andpolo shirts with details such as herringbone facets and splashprints. The sports label also boasts its Y-3 line designed by YohjiYamamoto which features streetwear pieces such as hoodies and trackpants, updated by different cuts and fabrics. Mixing and matchingelements from gym clothing with casual sportswear, standouts fromthe upcoming autumn/winter collection include an extra-long zip-uphoodie with a slightly flared hemline (so as to resemble a flirtydress) and a track jacket which is cut to look like a tuxedojacket.
Puma, on the other hand, has been blurring the lines betweenfashion and sport by collaborating with the likes of AlexanderMcQueen, Neil Barrett and Mihara Yasuhiro. Most recently, the brandbrought cutting-edge designer Hussein Chalayan on board as creativedirector. While he has yet to show his first collection for thebrand, Puma has just launched the Runway Collection consisting offashion-forward pieces such as sleek stirrup workout leggings andtanks (pictured) with unusual cut-outs.
Shopping List:
Stella McCartney for adidas from Lane Crawford, Podium 3, IFC Mall, Central, tel: 2118 3388
Y-3 , Shop A, Vienna Mansion, 55 Paterson Street, Causeway Bay, tel:2894 8368
Puma , Shop 2605, Harbour City, Gateway Arcade, TST, tel: 2377 1775
lululemon athletica and Carrot, Banana & Peach available at Pure Fitness and Pure Yoga locations including Level3, IFC Mall, tel: 8129 8883