Short answer
Design and marketing strategies for activewear must evolve beyond sport-specific functionality to embrace the broader lifestyle integration and fashion-conscious preferences of female consumers.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management (2017)
- Method
- Systematic Literature Review
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Activewear brands are failing to capture a significant market by not recognizing how women integrate athletic apparel into their broader lifestyles and shifting preferences towards individualised recreation. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2017 study published in Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management. Using Systematic literature review, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Design and marketing strategies for activewear must evolve beyond sport-specific functionality to embrace the broader lifestyle integration and fashion-conscious preferences of female consumers.
Activewear Brands Overlook Evolving Female Lifestyles, Missing Market Opportunities
Activewear brands are failing to capture a significant market by not recognizing how women integrate athletic apparel into their broader lifestyles and shifting preferences towards individualised recreation.
Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management · 2017
Key Findings
- 01Most research on activewear consumption does not consider gender or unique female consumer profiles.
- 02Women increasingly integrate activewear into non-sporting contexts, valuing fashion and emotional/personality elements.
- 03Age and generation significantly influence women's activewear consumption.
- 04There is a lack of research exploring the impact of shifts in women's physical activity patterns on the activewear industry.
- 05A specific focus on women's branding within the activewear sector is absent.
Application
Design takeaway
Design and marketing strategies for activewear must evolve beyond sport-specific functionality to embrace the broader lifestyle integration and fashion-conscious preferences of female consumers.
How to apply
Conduct market research that explores how target female consumers use activewear in their daily lives, beyond organized sports. Analyze fashion trends and incorporate them into activewear designs, while also considering the emotional and psychological drivers of purchase decisions.
Project actions
- 01When researching a product, consider how users integrate it into their broader lifestyle, not just its primary intended use.
- 02Investigate how fashion trends influence the adoption and perception of functional products.
- 03Explore the emotional and psychological factors that drive consumer purchasing decisions for apparel.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Systematic approach ensures comprehensive coverage of relevant literature.
- +Identifies critical knowledge gaps for future research and industry action.
Limitations
The findings are based on a review of existing studies, which may not capture the very latest trends or specific niche markets. The definition of 'activewear' can also vary.
Reliability & validity
The reliability of the review depends on the quality and breadth of the included studies. Validity is strengthened by the systematic methodology, but may be limited by the potential for publication bias or the subjective nature of thematic analysis.
Think critically
To what extent do brands actively adapt their design and marketing strategies to reflect evolving consumer lifestyles, and what are the potential consequences of failing to do so?
Design Principles
"Design for lifestyle integration: Products should be designed to seamlessly transition between various consumer activities and contexts, reflecting evolving user behaviours and values."
Understanding how consumer behaviour, lifestyle, and personal values intersect with product adoption is crucial for successful market penetration. Ignoring these evolving trends can lead to missed opportunities and a disconnect between product offerings and consumer needs.
What This Means for Your Design
Companies selling sports clothes for women are missing out because they don't realize women wear these clothes for everyday life and prefer them to look fashionable, not just for sports.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to justify exploring user lifestyle integration and fashion influences in your design project.
- 2.Cite this as evidence for the importance of understanding diverse user behaviours beyond the obvious functional requirements.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This systematic review by Grant O’Sullivan et al. (2017) reveals a significant gap in understanding women's activewear consumption, emphasizing that brands often overlook how women integrate athletic apparel into their broader lifestyles and value fashion alongside function. The research indicates that age and generation also play a crucial role, and that a shift towards individualised recreation is impacting purchasing drivers. This underscores the need for design projects to consider the holistic user experience, including lifestyle integration and evolving consumer values, beyond primary functional requirements.
Source
Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management
Women’s activewear trends and drivers: a systematic review
journal · 2017
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about activewear brands overlook evolving female lifestyles, missing market opportunities?
- Design and marketing strategies for activewear must evolve beyond sport-specific functionality to embrace the broader lifestyle integration and fashion-conscious preferences of female consumers. Evidence: Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management (2017).
- Why does "Activewear Brands Overlook Evolving Female Lifestyles, Missing Market Opportunities" matter for design?
- Understanding how consumer behaviour, lifestyle, and personal values intersect with product adoption is crucial for successful market penetration. Ignoring these evolving trends can lead to missed opportunities and a disconnect between product offerings and consumer needs.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Design and marketing strategies for activewear must evolve beyond sport-specific functionality to embrace the broader lifestyle integration and fashion-conscious preferences of female consumers.
- What were the main findings?
- Most research on activewear consumption does not consider gender or unique female consumer profiles.. Women increasingly integrate activewear into non-sporting contexts, valuing fashion and emotional/personality elements.. Age and generation significantly influence women's activewear consumption.. There is a lack of research exploring the impact of shifts in women's physical activity patterns on the activewear industry.
- What research method was used?
- Systematic Literature Review.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2017 journal from Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- Conduct market research that explores how target female consumers use activewear in their daily lives, beyond organized sports. Analyze fashion trends and incorporate them into activewear designs, while also considering the emotional and psychological drivers of purchase decisions.
- What are the limitations?
- The review focuses on existing literature, and the depth of analysis may be limited by the scope and quality of the included studies. The rapid pace of fashion trends means some findings may evolve quickly.