Athleisure can be viewed as a movement within the fashion industry made possible by advancements in textile materials that make sportswear more adaptable, cosy, and stylish. WomenEntrepreneurIndia has compiled seven such Indian athleisure brands launched by women entrepreneurs breaking social barriers in more ways than one.
Denim working uniforms were more popular a decade ago, but athleisure is now more prevalent in places like public streets, clothing stores, and fashion runways.
Athleisure brands have been giving formal & casual wear a run for its money. Today active-wear clothes have gone from being a fashion faux pas to being downright popular. You've seen it worn by everyone, including some of our favourite celebs, everywhere from the streets to the runways, from the gym to happy hour, and everywhere in between.
According to some sources, the athleisure movement started with women who wore yoga pants. Another source claims that the trend arose because people could wear them for multiple occasions without changing, which meant increased convenience because they didn't have to carry an extra gym suit on the way to work, for example. Comfortable attire such as athleisure clothes is now a huge benefit while working from home because one can complete a meeting and immediately begin a yoga session in the middle of the day or participate in seven to 15-minute online workouts. Athleisure clothing in India has also picked up steam and has become rather popular.
We bring to you a list of top Indian athleisure brands built by enterprising women entrepreneurs. With an ever-expanding athleisure sector, these women-led firms are breaking down barriers with their athleisure clothes for all sizes. Here is a list of the top athleisure brands
BlissClub
BlissClub, a Bengaluru-based company founded in 2020, has quickly gained popularity in the Indian market for developing the "Ultimate" series of tights, which are not only size-inclusive but also have pockets.
Women are the best at understanding the genuine worth of pockets. In the name of fake pockets in jeans and clothes without pockets, industry experts rejected them. They believed that when women walked out, they had nothing to keep.
By developing tights with not one, but four pockets, BlissClub filled this gap and became well-liked by influencers and women in general.
A $2.25 million seed round lead by Elevation Capital was recently raised by the women's sportswear company with a focus on the community (previously SAIF Partners). The money will go into marketing, product development, and team building for BlissClub.
Aastey
In 2020, Jeevika and Kanupriya, the founders of the company aastey, bonded through their shared struggles with their bodies and learned how commonplace body image concerns are. Aastey is a sustainable D2C athleisure brand that focuses on the "three Fs" of fashion: form, fit, and function. The fourth "F" was also added: fabric.
Aastey's "the werk it" set, which includes a sports bra and matching leggings, claims to come in 16 different sizes, be comfortable and stylish, and be suitable for wearing all day long. The company recently introduced gender-neutral items to eliminate the distinctions between what people can wear based on their gender.
SilverTraq
The brand was founded by DhritiBadani with the specific intention of injecting some fun into athletic wear. For this reason, in addition to the usual solid colours for activewear, SilverTraq also provides an athleisure collection with patterns. This brand carries all the gear you could possibly need, such as racerback tanks, long sleeve zipper shirts, track pants, training shorts, and even athletic lingerie! Their four-way stretch workout wear has characteristics like sweat-wicking, quick-drying, and anti-odor to keep you feeling fresh even after a strenuous workout. Polyester manufactured from recycled bottles is used to make it. It also includes characteristics that wick away perspiration and quickly dries.
Dee Clothing
Deeksha and KritikaKhurana, a sister-duo, appear to have built their company around the idea that comfort should come first in everything. With their large hoodies and joggers, Dee Clothing tries to combine fashion and comfort. It has a small product line and comes in sizes up to XXL. Due to the founders of the startup's being well-known social media influencers, Dee Clothing's clothing line received a lot of attention.
SpiritAnimal
If you are a size 12 or higher, this is one of the greatest size-inclusive athletic brands. They take serious consideration when choosing their activewear, which includes joggers, yoga pants, sports bras, and tops. This brand aspires to give plus-size women in India the space and platform to display their own style in the most comfortable way possible. It offers sizes up to 6XL. The company has experienced constant success since it opened in 2018. The Feel Comfy Bra, their most popular sports bra, offers detachable padding for maximum comfort and range of motion.
When Kriteesha Jain decided to start SpiritAnimal, she was having trouble finding sportswear in her size. The startup only produces an athleisure line for plus sizes under the motto "Own Your Size" and don't let the body size norm set by society limit you. SpiritAnimal takes the step to make having your specific sizing in athleisure a necessity rather than a luxury.
Athleisure Cava
CAVA is a popular athleisure clothing company. The brand aims to combine luxurious, eco-friendly textiles with cutting-edge global fashion trends and cosy silhouettes!
This brand is run by two younger siblings. This was started by these two crazy siblings to prevent them from going insane during the pandemic. Ria, 20, is a student at the London College of Fashion majoring in fashion management. Shreya, 18, is in the 12th grade at MallyaAditi International School.
The pink moon
In addition to emphasising body positivity, DivyaGoenka's size-inclusive activewear line concentrates on ethical manufacturing procedures. This brand is distinctive in that they only utilize leftover materials from producers and textile mills that export their products. Additionally, they employ a production staff within the company to ensure that their craftspeople are treated fairly. As a result, quality control is never compromised. Moreover, they support zero waste. To limit the amount of unsold inventory, they create in small amounts. In sizes L to 6XL, this brand offers dresses, tops, jackets, sportswear, and bottoms.
