If you asked a room full of fitness enthusiasts how they wanted to exercise, the answers would undoubtedly be all over the place. Some may regularly attend a local Barry’s or Orangetheory studio (both offer high-energy HIIT classes), while others may accumulate miles action around the city. Preferences aside, there’s one thing everyone can agree on: nice, high-quality clothing is key to feeling good during your sweat session. And just like any other category in the fashion industry, there are plenty of emerging workout clothing brands you can turn to for your workout plan.
One of such brands is Fanka, which was established in 2022. While it’s recent to the fitness scene, the brand is making waves, thanks in gigantic part to Katie Holmes’ recent sighting. Last July in Fresh York Lake of dreams the alum was broken with Fanka’s signature Figure shaping leggings. “They offer high compression thanks to Fance PowerLift technology that provides a shaping effect while supporting the knee and muscles thanks to the sporty PowerLift lines placed across the fabric,” Lexie Chan, regional operations director at Fanka, tells TZR about the game-changing bottoms. “This high-compression material also promotes muscle recovery, relieving soreness more quickly,” he adds. Needless to say, if you’re a earnest athlete, this emerging brand is worth adding to your training arsenal.
Another sportswear brand that is gaining popularity is FORMfounded by a fitness guru Sami Clarke AND Sami Spalt (aka, Sámi). They first launched the company as a training platform in 2021, offering a strength program courtesy of Clarke. “We started to notice that the number one question asked in every Instagram video was: ‘What are you wearing?“”Clarke tells TZR. This inspired the power duo to launch summer 2023 clothing that they describe as supportive and functional, while also looking sexy and stylish.
Want to discover more emerging sportswear brands in the industry? If so, keep scrolling. Your sweaty workouts will become much more fashionable.
FORM
“Buyer [today] they are looking for sportswear that is supple yet compressive, suitable for training and comfortable enough to wear all day long,” explains Spalter. As such, they focused on versatile styles that can be easily paired with your off-duty wardrobe choices – for example, pair one of their sporty miniskirts or biker shorts with a white blouse and loafers. And although less than a year has passed since the launch of the exercise line, business partners are already hearing positive opinions from customers. “They love our neutral color schemes and want more unique bras in each collection,” says Spalter.
Running bandit
Launched in October 2020 by brothers Tim and Nick West, Bandit Running is a Brooklyn-based label that claims to be community-driven. The brand has grown exponentially thanks to the continued support of die-hard Fresh York runners from various clubs in the city. While it has launched performance socks (first tested by the aforementioned athletes), Bandit Running now offers everything you need for jogging, from crewneck bras to training shorts. And remember: even if you’re not a runner, you can still go out in this sporty style that you can wear with anything.
Monday body
When it comes to launching a recent brand, timing is everything – and no one can attest to that better than Natasha Oakley and Devin Brugman, the company’s founders Monday swimsuits. The duo originally intended to launch sportswear in 2016, but decided to discontinue the project to focus on the swimming category. However, in October 2023, they once again ventured into fitness apparel with the debut of Monday Body, the company’s workout brand. From bodysuits to sports bras, this miniature but mighty selection of neutral styles was worth the wait. What’s more, these styles will not only serve you well during HIIT classes, but will look just as cute during regular trips to the gym.
Piece
According to Chan, the Fanka was launched to bridge the gap between performance and style. “Fanka’s products operate proprietary fabric technologies [like the aforementioned PowerLift material] they support joints and muscles during training while providing the sculpted look and compression feeling you’re looking for in your favorite sportswear,” he explains. In addition to Body Sculpt leggings, Fanka offers tank tops, T-shirts, jackets and other necessary sportswear items. Thanks to the latest technology, these styles will not pill during training.
Even
Founded by longtime models and best friends Jasmine Tookes and Josephine Skriver in 2016, Joja’s wellness and fitness Instagram page it is by no means recent. However, after years of running a very popular social media account, they joined forces to create their own sportswear brand with the same name in 2022. As it turns out, the launch was fueled by the community’s appetite for gym-approved looks designed by Tookes and Skriver. And considering the wide range of styles you can take with you to your workout, they didn’t disappoint. Some of Joji’s signature styles? Two-tone matching kits (as shown above), colorful cycling shorts and matching jerseys.