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Sportswear becomes stylish as designers join up with major brands
Take one look at designer siblings Shantanu and Nikhil Mehras sportswear collection,and youll never want to wear your plain,old tracksuit again. Their range,inspired by the New York taxi and replete with snazzy yellow and black stripes,has been launched in collaboration with sportswear major Adidas. Other A-list designers,too,prominent among them Aki Narula and Manish Arora,have tied up with sportswear brands to give the boring gym outfit and track-and-field wear a snazzy makeover.
Whats important to us is that the collection carries our designer label apart from the Adidas logo. As a result,it is an independent fashion line by Shantanu and Nikhil, says Shantanu. Co-branding,when a collection sports the labels of both,the designer and the manufacturer,has advantages for both parties. Most recognizable sporting brands that wish to reach out to the fashion-savvy shoppers are taking to co-branding. In return,the designers get access in Tier-II cities like Jaipur and Pune. The trend follows an international formula Puma had tied up with late designer Alexander McQueen,while Adidas had roped in legendary Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto and Stella McCartney.
The market for sports lifestyle products is huge. Designer labels are very aspirational and with the tie-up,we make the collection more accessible to the consumer. This acts as a brand enhancer for both the parties, said Tushar Gokuldas,Director,Sports and Marketing,Adidas.
For those who lust after designer labels,Shantanu and Nikhils collection is out in 13 stores,including the six metros and cities like Chandigarh and Ludhiana . On the shelves are high neck white bomber jackets with black-and-white stripes cutting across it,taxi print T-shirts,checkered short skirts in black and yellow along with a number of polo T-shirts.
Delhi-based designer Manish Arora was the first to give a chromatic twist to stodgy trainers. In 2005,he collaborated with Reebok to design a collection of shoes under the brand Fish Fry,now endorsed by actor Bipasha Basu. The collection is trendy,chic and high on style. For Reebok,it is a perfect amalgamation of sports and style and the response has been great despite a price tag between Rs 6,000 and Rs 60,000, said Sajid Shamim,Director,Sales and Marketing,Reebok.
Fish Fry shoes are not just for sports. Some of the shining brogues made from suede,leather and special fabric seem more apt for parties. Encrusted with sequins,with toe fronts in psychedelic shades of neon pink,shocking yellow,silver and gold,the shoes can jazz up a staid outfit.
When Bollywood stylist Aki Narula paired with German sportswear giant Puma,the result could only be a funky collection. His womens line has been available in 10 stores in Mumbai,Bengaluru and Delhi since February. The collection,priced between Rs 400 and Rs 5,500,comprises hooded parkas,sleeveless zip-up jackets and three-quarter trousers. He matches these with chic wedges,lace up ballerinas and flip flops with graphic prints besides accessories like messenger bags. The designer has good Bollywood connections that help Puma in product placements. Also,he has given an Indian touch to the apparel, said Rajiv Mehta,Managing Director,Puma. Narula sounds equally happy: Co-branding is a revolutionary model for partnership. What helps is that the designer gets to use the manufacturing facilities offered by the brand, says Narula.
So,the next time you need an excuse to exercise,look no further than your gym gear.
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