By Helene Ravlich
Right now we’re all doing a lot of working from home AND working out from home, and wearing a daily wardrobe that often straddles the two. Athleisure and activewear are blurring into one, and can be seen everywhere from the streets to the runways, from fitness studios to happy hour and back again. Read on for some of our favourite elevated activewear options, because loving your WFH style is an extra incentive to make mindful movement a regular part of your day.
Ref Active
If you’re a fan of clothing brand Reformation for their everyday apparel, then you’ll love the sassy charm of Ref Active. The brand’s activewear line launched in March, and is full of hardwearing but stylish essentials in some seriously covetable hues. You can also shop fresh takes on classic gym wear like leggings, sporty crops, and jumpsuits in two different fabric options: EcoMove for your toughest gym day, and EcoStretch for lounging on the couch afterward, all ranging in sizes from 0 to 3X. Even better? The collection is made of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles so that you can sweat (or not) sustainably.
Allbirds Natural Run Collection
An evolution of the global brand’s belief in nature-powered performance, Allbirds Natural Run Apparel allows you to work hard while treading light. As with all of their products, Allbirds packed Natural Run Apparel full of premium natural fibres, designed with carbon consciousness in mind. The collection is also stylish and designed to be worn by all, with my top pick being the Natural Run Form Tank and Natural Legging and Bike Short. The tank is form-fitting, but still breathable thanks to a proprietary blend of Eucalyptus Tree fibre and Merino Wool, and is not too cropped and not too long, perfectly skimming your waistline. Created using the same unique lightweight jersey material, the leggings and bike shorts sit high on the waist and are perfect for everything from a brisk walk around the block to a 5k through the city streets.
Marlow
When it comes to a local take on the athleisure trend, they don’t get much better than Ponsonby-based Marlow. A long time in the planning and officially launched into the market in November of last year, the premium label most definitely arrived fully formed. With a store on Ponsonby Road and available online and in selected retailers like Father Rabbit, it offers simple, sleek and effortless pieces to wear all year round. It has also been impeccably designed and crafted, mainly thanks to the respected professionals that helped bring the vision to life.
Alo Yoga
Los Angeles-born Alo Yoga are one of my personal favourite brands, offering elevated athleisure clothing that features unexpected details such as rips, cutouts, lacing and mesh detailing. A celebrity favourite – from Gigi Hadid to Taylor Swift, and Kendall Jenner – Alo Yoga transitions easily from practice to the café, and their leggings, tanks, sports bras and other activewear staples are all made of high-performance, innovative fabrics for that perfect move-with-you fit. They also offer a great range of yoga mats and associated accessories, plus their own collection of seven, cutting-edge, transformative face and body treatments under the name Alo Glow.
General Sleep
After all that activity, we need a good lie down. Thankfully, New Zealand sleepwear brand General Sleep has come to the rescue with a beautiful new collection of versatile pieces that transcend lounging through to brunch or wine with friends. Called ‘Sissy’, the SS21 collection removes the need for seasonal designs and instead introduces new colourways to core styles. I loved that the brand’s beloved large gingham check returns in vibrant tones as well as a new khaki stripe, adding depth to the Sleep Shirt and the covetable Winona, Classic and Camilla sets. Evolving with just four new colourways made in 100% organic cotton, SS21 integrates alongside the core handwoven collection to ensure each piece becomes a longstanding staple.
