Key Note Report: Why This Girl Can

Teddington, United Kingdom, August 18, 2015 (Newswire.com) - Gone are the days of the local gym being the haunt of Mr Universe and his fellow beefcakes pumping iron, where the sight of a woman would be passed off as a wrong turn on the way to the shops; ‘protein princesses’, such as the likes of celebrity Millie Mackintosh and singer Ellie Goulding, are giving rise to a modern woman who works out, sweats and can take on any man in an arm wrestle. Sport England’s campaign ‘This Girl Can’ is championing active women of all shapes and sizes not to care about how much they sweat, jiggle or get red-faced when taking part in sports or fitness, boosting opportunities for women in what was once a man’s world. New fitness crazes from ballet barre to voga are drawing women into gyms in droves and fashionable gymwear — sporting the latest season’s prints or designed by some of the most iconic fashion designers in the world — have changed sportswear from a drab necessity to a ‘look at me’ luxury. 

The printed running tights and neon trainers don’t just stop at the gym, with many a yummy mummy or a 20-something shopper on her day off wearing her gym gear to meet friends in coffee shops and bars up and down the country. Dubbed the ‘athleisure’ trend, high-street and fashion retailers are jumping on this fast-moving bandwagon and launching their own sportswear lines, with everyone from Boohoo to New Look grappling to take a slice of this (no carbs!) pie. Nike’s first women’s-only European store was unveiled in Chelsea in 2015, while female sportswear stores Sweaty Betty and lululemon are rolling out stores up and down the country to meet demand from this new strong gym bunny. With gymwear becoming a staple of women’s wardrobes and more women visiting gyms, it comes as no surprise that, according to Key Note’s Sports Clothing & Footwear Market Report, sales of women’s sportswear are now growing more rapidly than men’s. 

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Press enquiries: Adam Pembrey at Key Note at [email protected] or 0845 504 0452. Press/review copies of the report are available on request.

Notes to editors:
Key Note’s 2015 Market Report, Sports Clothing & Footwear, analyses the market for sportswear in the UK.

Key Note Ltd has been providing commercially relevant market information to libraries, academia and businesses since 1978. With over 1,000 titles available across 22 market sectors, and new or updated titles published every month, Key Note is one of the UK’s most prolific and respected business information providers. Within the range, some reports are written in response to particular market conditions, whereas other reports will be produced regularly year on year.

Key Note’s 2015 Market Report, Sports Clothing & Footwear, is available to purchase from Key Note on 0845-504 0452, by e-mail at [email protected] or at www.keynote.co.uk, priced £575.