This lockdown life sparked off dozens of corona-crazes: sough dough, dalgona coffee, zoom quizzes, Animal Crossing – just to name a few. Whilst these have all faded from the public consciousness, there are two lockdown trends that are still going: home workouts and working from home. It might have taken some getting used to, but if there’s one thing that made our home-confinements easier, it was the comfy, loungy athleisure wear that replaced the stiff starched shirts, impractical pencil skits and just generally uninspiring office attire that used to colour our week.
It’s arguably the best thing to come out of 2020 too: whether it’s a zoom meeting, a home gym session or a virtual happy hour, activewear is more than acceptable for all three. It has become the undisputed home uniform of the past few months. When you want to work in comfort, relax in comfort and train in comfort, athleisure wear ticks every box.
The Unassailable Rise of Fashionable Sportswear
With the pandemic boosting our love of activewear and seeing it come into our lives also as loungewear and office-wear, it’s no wonder sales of this exercise-intended staple is booming. Even before this year of enforced home-stay, the global activewear market was worth an estimated $398 billion in 2019, and is predicted to reach $427.8 billion by the end of 2020. Indeed seeing how industry leaders Lululemon reported a 157% gain in online sales this year and Gymshark is now valued at £1 billion, it’s clear the demand for athleisure wear is going from strength to strength.
A New and Exciting Activewear Brand: V4VICTOR
Amongst these giants of gym wear however, a new contestant has entered the ring, primed to take them on pound for pound: V4Victor. Whilst Gymshark and Lululemon very much began life as fitness brands for a stylish life inside the gym, yoga studio or wherever it was you worked out, V4Victor was busy developing a brand that didn’t see why the clothes you wore in the gym needed to be different to those you wore outside it. V4Victor’s apparel was, from the start, created to be used as both gym attire and daily wear.
Founded in 2017 by designer Valfer Encio, he and his team looked at the busy lives that we now lead, envisioning a line of clothing that stands up to whatever the day throws at us. With a little experimentation and a lot of inspiration,V4Victor found the perfect fusion of casual wear and sportswear, blending simplicity and elegance with practicality and high-functionality. V4Victor became obsessed with providing versatile sportswear for people on the go. So what exactly does this trending athleisure wear brand have to offer?
Functionality
V4Victor’s products are comfortable, versatile, breathable and look great. The men’s tanks are precision-cut and hand-sewn for the ultimate fit, and made of high-quality material that stretches and recovers from whatever direction it’s pulled in, meaning whether you’re running, lifting or just rollicking around, it won’t lose its shape.
The women’s leggings come with pockets (always handy, but more than that are made with the softest four-war stretch fabric we’ve ever come across. With a flat seam and cover-stitch, as well as a comfortable high waistband, we have no doubt these will keep you feeling good and looking good all day long.
Fashion
V4Victor also has a small, dedicated group of artists working to provide fashionable sportswear that looks great inside the gym and out. This is a brand that wants to synthesise high-functionality with high-fashion. There’s no doubt that the Lululemons and Gymsharks of the world present a style that appeals well to the masses. V4Victor looks to evoke a sense of style reflecting the uniqueness of their clientele. The designs of V4Victor stretch from bright bold colours to sharp contemporary designs that expresses their wearer’s personality as much as the artist who designed them.
An Expression of the Individual
We seem to have entered a very tribal world, whether it’s within political leanings (Democrats vs Republicans), music-tastes (the Swifties vs the Yeezy Militia) or gym wear (the Lululemon tribe vs the Gymsharks) it seems that everyone wants you to take a side. But what about being yourself, an individual, a single soul, rather than a generic categorisation of one-size-fits-all?
Just one look at the styles and creations on offer shows how V4Victor looks to be a beacon of individual expression. Passion-red leggings with an intricate floral design on the sides reveals the fiery but sophisticated soul residing within, whilst the snow-white style with PUMP emblazoned across the calf shows in no uncertain terms what you showed up for today. In addition to the styles available, V4Victor also allows client customisation of most products (and, at the time of writing, free as well), to make their purchases even more unique to them.
Real Representation
V4Victor also goes beyond the inclination of other brands who cater mainly to “accepted standards of beauty”. Striving for acceptability and tolerance of every well-intended individual, this fitness and lifestyle brand pursues representation beyond the sometimes unrealistic ideals of the insta-influencer, recognising that we all come in different shapes and sizes. Whatever place you’re at in your life, whatever goals you have, whether fitness or personal, this activewear brand doesn’t discriminate. The range of sizes available is a testament to this, with leggings going from “XS” size all the way to “2XL” and “3XL”
Final Thoughts
The past eight months has seen the world changed as we know it over the foreseeable future, and whilst we will need to adapt, it doesn’t mean we need to compromise. We want to look good, and feel good, but why choose between the two? V4Victor’s undertaking is to harness “creativity and provide the best possible fitness clothing, consequently making it more fun to step out without sacrificing your comfort.” That’s something we can definitely get on board with, and we can’t wait to see what V4Victor has got in store for us next.
