A Season of Sweats

While many trends emerged from the shows at this season’s New York market week (technical influences, color blocking, the continuation of prints), one that stood out to me was the use of materials like fleece and French terry. Items like sweat pants, sweatshirts, hoodies, etc. were shown by lots of of this season’s contemporary brands. However, these are not your typical roll-out-of bed-and-throw-on-a-pair-of-sweats. The look is more put together and fashion-forward, designers are elevating the style by incorporating details like prints, moto-motifs, quilting, drop-crotch, etc. Here are some brands that are nailing the fashionable athletic look.

Rascals: I was introduced to Rascals a few years ago while covering the fashion fairs in Copenhagen. This Danish brand perfectly mixes sporty details with classic menswear (e.g. adding mesh details to a woven shirt). U.S. retailers like American Rag, Bodega and Urban Outfitters have already picked up the line, and retails range from $90 to $120 for shirting, jersey and hooded sweatshirts.

Strivers Row launched five years ago by rapper T.I.’s manager and business partner Jason Geter. This denim-based brand is showing some cool reversible fleece crewnecks ($150 retail) made of recycled denim.

For fall 2014, the Burkman Brothers took inspiration from their recent capsule collection with Barneys. Ben and Doug Burkman reinterpreted cozy elements from the collaboration to create new styles for their main line. Highlights include fleece bottoms ($170 retail), fleece hoodies ($160 retail) and flannels lined in jersey.