How WFH is set to expand athleisure wear boom

(Source: Bigstock)

Demand for casual office wear is still booming – set to grow by 25 per cent to US$551 billion by 2025 – as work from home continues, and drives growth in the athleisure market, according to research by GlobalData. 

More than 55 per cent of respondents said they are wearing comfortable athleisure for more than just sports activities. Meanwhile, another report from GlobalData showed a quarter of all clothing sold in 2020 was sportswear as more people both worked out at home and worked from home.

Explaining the trend, apparel analyst at Global Data, Louise Deglise-Favre, said people have been wearing casual wear and athleisure while working from home over the pandemic, and with the remote working culture continuing, the demand for this type of clothing will continue to increase. Casual and multifunctional clothes are expected to start to make their way into traditional offices.

“As for in-office working, we expect that to become more casual too,” Deglise-Favre added. “Trainers at the office and the sweatshirt-under-a-blazer look will be more popular.”

Although the share of sportswear is estimated to decline slightly this year as some people switch back to more formal items, consumers will continue to want more multifunctional, comfortable athleisure pieces that are appropriate for both wearing at home and in social settings, according to Deglise-Favre. 

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