WELLNESS MEETS WARDROBE: HOW FITNESS CULTURE SHAPES FASHION TRENDS

Wellness has gone from being a personal goal to a cultural movement in the last ten years, and fashion has followed suit. Clothes are no longer just about looking good; they're also about feeling strong, balanced, and in line with a healthier lifestyle. Athleisure 2.0 is a new style that combines performance fabrics, stylish design, and everyday luxury.

Athleisure 2.0: More than just yoga pants

Athleisure, which is a mix of athletic and casual clothes, has completely changed the way people think about street-style fashion. Baggy workout pants are becoming more popular in 2025, especially with Gen Z shoppers. This shows that people are moving away from leggings. Even older brands like Lululemon are changing. Luxury athleisure is still doing well. The "cardio couture" trend, which includes high-end fitness gear from luxury fashion brands like Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Prada, and Celine, shows how fashion affects all parts of life.

Nike's Body Image Revolution

Nike and Dove worked together to start the Body Confident Sport program, which gives girls ages 11 to 17 evidence-based coaching tools to help them feel good about their bodies. This program, while not directly related to fashion, is part of a larger movement towards body positivity that is influencing the fashion industry. The program was developed in collaboration with expert research centers and nearly 2,000 teens from all over the world. Its goal is to reach one million young people. This campaign changes the narrative from how bodies look to what they can achieve, inspiring more girls to engage in sports by boosting their self-esteem and confidence in their abilities.

The joining of Health and Fashion

Athleisure is more than just comfortable clothes; it's a way to promote overall health by combining physical health, mental balance, and self-care. Enclothed cognition shows how wearing activewear can make you want to move because how you dress can affect how you act. At the same time, groups of consumers like the 'pink Pilates princess,' a popular figure on TikTok known for her love of high-end athleisure and her promotion of a healthy lifestyle, are changing what people want. This group already likes brands like Lululemon and Alo, and their influence is shaping the future of fashion.

Why It's Important for Fashion Marketing and Design

As wellness becomes a bigger part of people's lives, they expect clothes that are versatile, long-lasting, and make them feel good, whether they're at the gym or a party. To stay relevant, brands must seamlessly combine usefulness with meaning, presenting a challenge and an opportunity for the fashion industry to create products that resonate with consumers on both a functional and emotional level.

At Raffles Jakarta, our Fashion Marketing Program teaches new strategists how to understand these changing wellness-driven consumer behaviors, such as being inclusive, how they affect people's minds, and how to adapt to the latest trends. At the same time, our Fashion Design Program gives creative people the tools they need to combine performance, sustainability, and emotional storytelling in their work, shaping the future of fashion that fits with people's lifestyles.

Arman POUREISA

Marketing Manager

Business Management Lecturer

Raffles Jakarta

References

Adweek. (2023, December 27). What marketers can learn from the Dove and Nike partnership. Adweek. https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/one-team-one-dream-what-marketers-can-learn-from-dove-and-nike-partnership/

ImmagO. (2024, September 17). The rise of athleisure: The journey from fitness to fashion. ImmagO. https://immago.com/the-rise-of-athleisure/

Marie Claire. (2025, August 4). Introducing cardio couture: Behind the rise of luxury sports kit, where fitness meets high fashion. Marie Claire. https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/fashion/cardio-couture

Nike. (2023, October 24). Nike partners with Dove to help build body confidence in girls. Nike Newsroom. https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-partners-with-dove-to-help-build-body-confidence-in-girls

News.com.au. (2025, February 18). Expert reveals hidden benefit to activewear. News.com.au. https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/fitness/exercise/expert-reveals-hidden-benefit-to-wearing-activewear-all-the-time/news-story/e488f6517f5a80ab9445ed9f93738c6a

Vogue Business. (2025, March 12). Why the pink Pilates princess is actually a key consumer group. Vogue Business. https://www.voguebusiness.com/story/fashion/why-the-pink-pilates-princess-is-actually-a-key-consumer-group

Wall Street Journal. (2025, August 17). “You’re a Boomer if you wear leggings”: The rise of big workout pants. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/style/fashion/baggy-workout-pants-fp-movement-leggings-53814676