New-gen exercises fuelling athleisure growth here

New-to-market lounge brand Rise Rise, by a co-founder of local fashion retailer The Editor's Market, launched online in January and dropped an activewear collection in August.

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The capsule, titled A Slow Day, spans backless padded tops and flare leggings that would look just at home in Orchard Road as they would in a pilates studio - less HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and more lazy Sunday morning.

"Movement felt like the most honest place to start," says Rise Rise's Thailand-born founder Pirat Kongkapirat, 42. "I was interested in the space between getting dressed and being; in what you wear when no one's watching."

Her target demographic? "The quiet ones who might not call themselves active, but move with intention."

Says Ms Pirat: "I think the rush of athleisure has softened, but there is still demand although what people want has evolved. During the pandemic, many of us were initiated into the idea of activewear for the everyday, but that also left us wondering, 'what's next?'

"People now want more out of activewear, and it's not just performance-related. There's a return to realness matt fabrics instead of gloss; gentle cuts that skim, not sculpt; muted tones that look better in daylight than under LEDs.

"I see many people styling activewear like second skin too: a bra top under a linen shirt, leggings with vintage loafers, soft shorts with structured blazers. Movement has become a part of everyday dressing.