Mega fitness brands like Nike and Under Armour have the market cornered on aggressive, sweat-until-you-drop performance apparel, but a host of indie labels are carving out a space for themselves with fitness gear that has more of an old school, Rocky-in-gray-sweats flavor. These chill hoodies, track pants and T-shirts might not be as technologically sophisticated as most logo-heavy activewear on the market, but it certainly looks better in the real world. Which is the whole point—the line between work, play and working out clothes couldn’t be blurrier right now. Consider it a major victory for your wardrobe.
Outdoor Voices
Launched in 2013, Outdoor Voices recently raised $7 million in funding from various investors including cult-loved French label APC. The vibe is sort of activewear-on-Prozac (think: dreamy colors, touchable fabrics and relaxed fits) and the prices can’t be beat.
Tracksmith
Tracksmith also recently raised an impressive amount of money: $4.1 million after just a little over a year in business. Their vibe is a little more ‘70s track star, so if you’re a guy who’s into short-shorts or can’t stand the all-gray LA look, you’ll appreciate this retro take on things.
Victor Athletics
This bare-bones line takes pride in its USA manufacturing (they’re based on Cincinnati, Ohio), use of organic cotton, and from-the-vintage-archives look and feel. From Victor you’ll get the perfect gray sweats the scrappy boxer inside of you has always wanted to rock.
State Concepts by Frank & Oak
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Direct-to-consumer, Canadian brand Frank & Oak recently added an athletic label called State Concepts to their offering. It’s more modern and urbane than some of these other guys, but not quite as aggressive as the big, technology-driven labels. Think of it as a very stylish happy medium.
Dusk
Recently launched by fashion industry veteran Jordan Schiff, (he’s also married to Eunice Lee of Unis), Dusk is more about mixing street wear and performance gear than forcing each piece to find a middle ground. Think: moisture-wicking black basics and off-court pieces like a Japanese cotton shirt jacket.
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