1 history of sportswear design
1.1 pre-1920
1.2 1920s
1.3 1930–1945
1.4 1946-1970
1.5 1970–2000
1.6 21st century sportswear
history of sportswear design
pre-sportswear tailormade redfern. bon ton, april 1914.
pre-1920
sportswear described activewear - clothing made sport. part of evolution of sportswear triggered 19th-century developments in female activewear, such bathing or cycling costumes, demanded shorter skirts, bloomers, , other specific garments enable mobility, whilst sports such tennis or croquet played in barely-modified conventional dress. 1 of first couturiers specialise in sports-specific clothing british john redfern in 1870s began designing tailored garments increasingly active women rode, played tennis, went yachting, , did archery. redfern s clothes, although intended specific sporting pursuits, adopted everyday wear clients, making him first sportswear designer. in late nineteenth century, garments associated activewear and/or modified menswear, such shirtwaist began form part of working woman s wardrobe. prior 1920, men , women both demonstrate being @ leisure removing jacket, either literally in case of menswear, or metaphorically woman wearing shirtwaist blouse resembled man s shirt worn without jacket.
martin has observed in america, prior increasing worker freedoms mid-late 19th century onwards, leisure had been luxury available leisured classes during industrial revolution (c.1760-1860), , before that, puritan america had condemned leisure all. cites 1884 georges seurat painting sunday afternoon on island of la grande jatte immobile, static , stratified depiction of leisure in direct antithesis of relaxed, casual american equivalent. t.j. clarke notes how la grande jatte illustrates people breadth of paris society taking advantage of free time going riverside show off new clothes, act of removing 1 s jacket or otherwise loosening garments signifier of being @ leisure never done.
1920s
while 1920s paris designers offered haute couture designs considered sportswear, typically not design focus. notable exception tennis player jane régny (the pseudonym of madame balouzet tillard de tigny), opened couture house specialising in clothing sport , travel. famous tennis player, suzanne lenglen, director of sportswear department @ jean patou. in contrast flexibility of american sportswear, these expensive couture garments typically prescribed specific circumstances. many couturiers began designing clothing that, whilst suitable sport, worn in wider range of contexts. coco chanel, promoted own active, financially independent lifestyle through relaxed jersey suits , uncluttered dresses, became famous clothes of sports type. in 1926 harper s bazaar reported upon chanel s sporty garments, noting absence of equivalent apparel new york fashion presentations. however, martin has noted while chanel undeniably important , influential, work based on couture construction rather easy-wear nature of american sportswear.
as more generic, versatile sportswear became more prominent in paris collections, press increasingly promoted wearing of such garments in everyday context. mid-1920s, american advertisers began actively pushing idea sporty clothing appropriate regular daywear active pursuits, presenting epitome of modernity , american ideal. 1 advertisement put out abercrombie & fitch in vogue in 1929 suggested while men might admire girl in glamorous evening gown, less intimidated approachable, friendly appearance in good-quality sportswear. sportswear presented accessible version of resort wear, term luxurious travelling clothing , holiday wear worn afford leisurely lifestyle multiple vacations, such cruises, yachting, , skiing. affordable, well-designed all-american sportswear presented way of enabling less wealthy customer feel part of same lifestyle. although influence of europe, particularly parisian high fashion , english tailoring, significant, great depression started in 1929 acted trigger encourage american fashion focus on homegrown style , design - particularly sportswear. despite acceptance of fashionable sportswear form of casual dressing in french fashion in 1920s, american garment industry went on become prominent producers of such clothing. key difference between french , american sportswear french sportswear small part of high-end designer s output, while american sportswear designers focused on affordable, versatile, easy-care garments mass-produced , relevant customer s lifestyle, enabling modern, increasingly emancipated woman dress herself without maid s assistance.
a smart young woman in lightweight jacket , printed silk blouse. american, 1935.
1930–1945
the precursors of true sportswear emerged in new york before second world war. clare potter , claire mccardell among first american designers in 1930s gain name recognition through innovative clothing designs, martin described demonstrating problem-solving ingenuity , realistic lifestyle applications . garments designed easy-to-wear , comfortable, using practical fabrics such denim, cotton, , jersey. mccardell in particular has been described america s greatest sportswear designer. simple, practical clothes suited relaxed american dress code, neither formal nor informal, became established during 1930s , 1940s. mccardell once proclaimed: belong mass production country of us, of us, deserve right fashion. martin credits 1930s , 40s sportswear designers freeing american fashion need copy paris couture. paris fashion traditionally imposed onto customer regardless of wishes, american sportswear democratic, available, , encouraged self-expression. sportswear designers proved creation of original ready-to-wear fashion legitimate design art responded stylishly utilitarian requirements.
many of first sportswear designers women, including mccardell, potter, elizabeth hawes, emily wilkens, tina leser, , vera maxwell. common argument female designers projected personal values new style. 1 of few male designers @ time tom brigance, late 1930s regularly ranked alongside potter leading name in mid-range priced sportswear. potter, brigance understood how design smart , fashionable clothing mass-production, made clothes attractive manufacturers customers. 2 other notable male designers of sportswear @ time sydney wragge , john weitz.
in 1930s , 40s, rare clothing justified through practicality. traditionally thought paris fashion exemplified beauty, , therefore, sportswear required different criteria assessment. designer s personal life therefore linked sportswear designs. selling point sportswear s popularity consumers, department store representatives such dorothy shaver of lord & taylor using sales figures claims. maxwell , potter 2 of first 3 sportswear designers, along helen cookman, showcased , name-checked in shaver s window displays , advertisements lord & taylor. 1 of shaver s retail experiments college shop section in store, opened in 1930s , run assistant helen maddock, intent of offering casual flattering clothing young female college students. stock however, ended selling swiftly adult women students.
among key designs produced new generation of american designers capsule wardrobes such mccardell s group of 5 wool jersey pieces 1934, comprising 2 tops, long , short skirts, , pair of culottes; , maxwell s weekend wardrobe of 5 tweed , flannel garments. both designed accommodate formal , informal occasions depending on how assembled , accessorised. mccardell became known designs such monastic , popover dresses versatile enough work in multiple contexts swimsuit cover-ups party dresses. other mccardell signatures included ballet slippers (made ben sommers of capezio) everyday footwear , functional pockets in skirts , trousers. dressy garments made casual fabrics, such mccardell , joset walker s evening dresses , dress-and-coat ensembles made out of cotton, became key sportswear look. american couturier norman norell declared mccardell make smart dress wear anywhere out of 5 dollars worth of common cotton calico. other sportswear designs incorporated elements of sporty informal or casual wear, exemplified clare potter s evening sweater worn long skirt draped sidesaddle riding habit.
rebecca arnold , emily s. rosenberg have noted how american look, demonstrated through healthy teeth , use of affordable, good-quality fashionable clothing present neat , practical appearance, despite claims of egalitarianism, held against white standards of beauty. rosenberg has pointed out six-page spread in life dated may 21, 1945, explicitly described girls athletic american of teeth, grooming, , good, not-too-masculine, simple, neat attire, being seen preferable girls england, france, australia or polynesia.
1946-1970
claire mccardell surrounded models wearing designs, 2 may 1955. (time)
after second world war, emergence in paris of luxurious new popularised christian dior, emphasis on accessorising , femininity, in direct contrast relaxed, easy-wear american look. sally kirkland, fashion editor @ vogue , life, noted mccardell , others had been thinking along lines of longer , fuller skirts , fitted bodices, unlike dior s heavily stiffened , corseted designs, used bias-cut bodices , lightweight, easy-wear circle or pleated skirts reproduce same silhouette. unlike traditional made-to-measure french couture fashion, designed specific silhouettes, american sportswear designed accommodate variety of body shapes , enable freedom of movement. lifting of fabric rationing , restrictions following war, american designers able use unlimited fabric , development of permanent pleating meant pleated dresses , full skirts easy after. in addition this, american stores had begun recognise commercial value of separates, life reporting in 1949 separates made all-time-high of 30% of clothing sales in states fall.
in 1950s , 1960s, designers continued develop theme of affordable, practical , innovative sportswear, producing clothing focused on wearability rather fashion fads, including anne fogarty s coat-and-dress sets , dresses made removable waistcoats alter look. film costume designer bonnie cashin, started producing ready-to-wear clothing in 1949, considered 1 of influential american sportswear designers. known extremely practical layered ensembles inspired ethnographic garments , textiles such japanese kimono , happi, ikats, , south american poncho. designs incorporated leather bindings, pockets purse clasps, hooded jersey dresses , tops, , industrial zippers , fastenings. put brass clip resembling used on dog leashes, on long formal skirt securely hitched enable wearer run , down stairs, , ponchoes , hoods (which rolled down form elegant cowl-collars) designed driving on cool mornings. cashin became 1 of first american designers have international reputation. alongside cashin, rudi gernreich emerged in 1950s key name in sportswear design, first becoming known swimsuits, expanding geometrically cut, graphic clothes , knitwear kirkland described epitome of new california.
along many other designers, gernreich took advantage of development in mid-1950s of upgraded machine-knitting techniques produce work. double knitting (which developed in italy) enabled mass-production of easy-to-wear knitted suits, coats , dresses retained shape , became key american in 1960s , 70s. knitwear development involved varying lines of classic t-shirt extended dress-length versions, long or short sleeves, , other variations, including, 1960, sequined long evening version kasper arnold & fox. in 1960s, american sportswear depended on simple shapes, made in vivid colours , bold, geometric prints (such gernreich , donald brooks).
towards end of 1960s, many sportswear designers such anne klein , halston began enter business independently, rather relying on backing of manufacturers, or working in association firms , companies.
1970–2000
in 1974 essay titled recession dressing, writer kennedy fraser noted how halston s work, particularly success making basic garments in luxurious fabrics, of anti-designer liberated american women of fashion needlessly elaborate, coventional high fashion high-end establishment american designers. singled out clovis ruffin , stephen burrows. alongside calvin klein, jhane barnes, , ralph lauren, martin has described halston, ruffin , burrows paragons of 1970s , 1980s seventh avenue sportswear style.
during 1970s, lauren, calvin klein , perry ellis became particularly known sportswear designs, made in all-natural fibres such wool, combed cotton, , linen, placed them @ top tier of american fashion design alongside anne klein label (designed donna karan , louis dell olio). newsweek in 1975 described calvin klein having styled clean, casual separates authority of couture designer, , 1985, martin described him 1 of great american stylists solid international reputation , worldwide influence entirely based on skills sportswear designer. industry empires of lauren , calvin klein joined in mid-1980s donna karan s own-name label , tommy hilfiger, each of whom created distinctive wardrobes american woman based upon stylish wearable, comfortable , interchangeable multi-purpose clothes combined practicability luxury. these clothes designed have long, stylish , undated life, rather fashionable 1 season. in 1976, designer zoran brought out first of number of collections of extremely simple garments made of finest quality fabrics; garments barely changed on years , became cult objects wealthy clientele. in 1993, fashion journalist suzy menkes declared zoran s less-is-more sportswear prophetic of 1990s modernist trend, whilst zoran stated work of calvin klein, karan, , anne klein label epitomised comfort, simplicity, , practicality associated sportswear. 21st century sportswear design follows in footsteps of these designers. other notable sportswear designers of late 20th century include norma kamali, 1980s fashionable garments made sweatshirt fabric highly influential; marc jacobs, eponymous label renowned layered informality in both day , evening wear founded in 1986, , isaac mizrahi, presented first collection in 1987.
in 1970s geoffrey beene, 1 of first significant male sportswear designers, incorporated relaxed layering , elements of menswear women s clothing - details continue influence 21st century industry designers. in 1970, bill blass, fashion career began in 1946, founded own company, bill blass limited. blass s wearable designs designed worn day , night , said have raised american sportswear highest possible level. beene, introduced menswear touches sportswear, described clean, modern , impeccable in style. kirkland commented in 1985 sportswear designers such liz claiborne , joan vass no longer borrowing boys, had begun making menswear too. in addition high-end names produced apparel in large quantity, more personal level of sportswear offered in 1980s smaller designers such mary jane marcasiano , vass, specialised in hand-knits in wool , cotton. mid-1980s, sportswear had become key part of international fashion scene, forming large part of america s contribution twice-yearly fashion presentations alongside top-end collections paris, milan , london.
21st century sportswear
relaxed easy-wear sportswear michael kors, spring-summer 2014.
in 2000, lifestyle monitor, american trade magazine owned cotton incorporated published surveys showed average of 64% of women interviewed preferred casual wear, including sportswear distinct active wear.
notable new york sportswear designers of first decade of 21st century included zac posen, proenza schouler, mary ping, derek lam, , behnaz sarafpour, featured in sportswear section of victoria , albert museum s new york fashion exhibition in 2007.
designers not typically work in sportswear tradition such monique lhuillier incorporate elements of sportswear , activewear work. lhuillier, known formal gowns, introduced sporty necklines , aerodynamic elements collection new york fashion week, fall 2011.
in 2012 tim gunn noted boundaries between activewear , fashion sportswear had become increasingly blurred since 1980s, many people choosing wear hoodies, tracksuits, yoga pants, , other garments explicitly associated athletic wear everyday dress.
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