I just started a four week workshop called Designing Textiles for Fashion: Women’s Activewear through the Pattern Observer.  Every time I say “activewear” I have to sing it just like this. I am one of those people who wear activewear for working out, pretending I’m going to yoga class as well as binge watching Netflix. As an avid athleisure consumer, I think it is important to learn about this niche textile market.

In the first part of the course, we are learning about trend identification. I’ve been checking out the looks coming down the runways right now and have come up with some fun and funky trends. The first trend I noticed is, and I’m not kidding, cats. Stella McCartney, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci  and others are strutting their fierce feline stuff. See it to believe it on my Cat Fancy Pinterest Board! 40 is the new 30, navy is the new black, and cats are the new owls.

Now the challenge is to take this feline inspiration and translate it into some patterns for the activewear market! Stay tuned for two more trends from the 2016 runways.

Trend board photo attributions (clockwise from top right)  https://www.flickr.com/photos/hypocoristic  https://unsplash.com/photos/HKn3U7bSXsQ  https://www.flickr.com/photos/maiac/  https://unsplash.com/photos/a7bdqjeG6M4  https://www.flickr.com/photos/torley/  https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsk/