Ensemble
Donna Karan · fall/winter 1986–87
Sportswear
Exercise clothes moved beyond the gym as movement and comfort entered daily fashion. Designers reworked familiar athletic forms into wardrobes with wider social uses.
Athletic fabrics and familiar shapesFreedom of movementAdaptable casual clothing
Jumpsuit
Donna Karan · spring/summer 1986
Ensemble
Giorgio Armani · ca. 1980
Dress
Arthur McGee · 1980s
Coat
Jean Muir · 1980–85
Bomber jacket
Kansai Yamamoto · fall/winter 1981–82
Dress
Norma Kamali · ca. 1980
Fashion presentation with a model
Liz Claiborne · 1982
About Sportswear
Sportswear became part of ordinary urban dressing as the fitness boom changed expectations of comfort and the body. Sweatshirts, leggings, leotards and other athletic forms moved beyond exercise, while designers translated their fabrics and easy movement into fashion. Norma Kamali’s sweatshirt clothing is a particularly clear example. The wider sportswear tradition also supported adaptable everyday separates. Together, these approaches gave practical clothes a prominent place in fashionable wardrobes, linking the freedom of movement associated with physical activity to the demands of daily life.
Explore the designers
- Donna KaranView garment · fall/winter 1986–87
A wardrobe that works together
- Giorgio ArmaniView garment · ca. 1980
Authority with ease
- Arthur McGeeView garment · 1980s
Practical clothes, expressive textiles
- Jean MuirView garment · 1980–85
Line, fit and quiet detail
- Kansai YamamotoView garment · fall/winter 1981–82
Color as performance
- Norma KamaliView garment · ca. 1980
Everyday movement becomes fashion
- Liz ClaiborneView garment · 1982
Colorful separates designed for working women.