The West End has seen 100 per cent boost in sportswear brands available in its key districts between 2016 and 2017, as the athleisure trend continues to explode.
New research from the New West End Company (NWEC) has revealed a huge adoption of sportswear across the fashion retailers in the region, predicting that 90 per cent will incorporate ranges by 2020.
Luxury high street retailers have adopted athleisure in their swathes, with Selfridges launching a new sneaker department, Victoria Beckham collaborating with Reebok and Y-3 releasing a successful Adidas range.
This trend can also be seen at the lower end of the market, with high street staples like Primark, New Look and H&M ramping up their sportswear offerings to meet demand.
“As one of the world’s top shopping and leisure destinations, brands use their prime location in the West End to showcase new lines and offer unique experiences for customers,” NWEC’s head of insights Kyle Monk said.
“Over the past few years, we have seen a number of department stores and fashion retailers introduce new sportswear ranges alongside their core fashion collections and create sports-related experiences in store for visitors to take part in.
“As the line between athletic and leisurewear becomes hazier, we expect retailers will dedicate an increasing amount of floor space to some form of athletic offering. The opportunity for brands to innovate in this sector is huge.”
The sector is understood to have risen eight per cent in 2017 and is now worth around £2.5 billion.
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