Leggings - men's thermal sleeves become women's hot pants

The popular leggings for women today come from two ancient men's leg warmers.

Leggings are one of the most popular pants styles in the past seven years. CNN said that few people could have predicted that one of the most criticized designs of the 1980s would become a key product worth billions of dollars by the end of the 2020s.

According to analysis by market research firm Growth Market Reports, the global leggings market is expected to be worth $57.97 billion by 2031. Statista data analysis predicts 4 billion leggings will be produced. production in 2027. Experts say these numbers not only highlight a major change in fashion but also a change in wearing culture.

The early shape of leggings in the 14th century. Photo: Armor Venue

In the documents of Tatter magazine , leggings began to appear in the 13th century in the form of two tubes - an essential part of men's clothing to both keep warm and protect. They were worn with breeches, covering the upper half of the leg. At this time, it was fashionable for men to show off the shape of their legs, so tailors with the skills to sew tight-fitting legs were highly sought after.

At the beginning of the 15th century, leggings became trousers. Men of the upper class often wear white pants. After decades of being forgotten, leggings evolved again in the 1950s, becoming clothing for women, but thick and inelastic. The design is also called carpi pants, associated with the icon Audrey Hepburn. After the invention of Lycra material (also known as spandex) by chemist Joseph Shivers in 1958, the first Lycra leggings were born in 1959, marking the revolution of leggings with their thinness and elasticity, creating comfortable.

Madonna wears blue leggings in the MV "Like a Virgin". Video: Madonna

From the 1960s to 1980s, leggings caused a fever when promoted by designers such as Mary Quant and Emilio Pucci. Thanks to a number of famous figures such as Debbie Harry, Olivia Newton-John, Madonna, and the stars of the famous television series Charlie's Angels , leggings appear on the music, film, and lifestyle scenes. often. When Madonna wore this style of pants in the MV Like a Virgin , the aerobics fever of the 1980s was ignited.

Leggings began to cool down in the 1990s and declined in the 2000s. From 2016 up to now, celebrities such as sisters Gigi - Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Hailey Baldwin have brought leggings hot again. In the Fall-Winter 2023 collections, Miu Miu, Saint Laurent, Blumarine and Ferragamo introduced leggings with a luxurious style, different from the previous popular look. With momentum, pants appeared massively on the Spring/Summer 2024 runways of Isabel Marant, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and Supriya Lele. The design also covers the streets, combining many other styles such as normcore, punk, grunge.

Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Hailey Bieber (from left) combine leggings with bra top, crop top, and basic jacket. Photos: Backgrid, SplashNews, GC Images

Currently, the world's largest luxury brands are promoting legging innovation, including Prada, Loewe and Moncler, because of the increasing demand for fitness apparel. Unsightly pants are gradually being replaced by designs made from high-tech materials that look more eye-catching and fashionable.

Vuori, a California-based brand, sells exercise gear from $98 to $108 a piece. Their signature BlissBlend fabric has been developed using 75% recycled materials to create a super stretchy, super lightweight fabric that customers love. They also create BreatheInterlock fabric that is moisture-wicking and breathable. Hey Honey Yoga of Germany is also considered a rising brand. Their $120 leggings are OEKO-TEX certified and PETA approved vegan.

Nike leggings are popular because of their good absorbency and beautiful designs. Photo: Nike

Lucie Greene, trend forecaster and founder of consulting firm Light Years, told CNN : "There is a user base of the Millennials generation (people born from the early 1980s to 1996) who love this type of clothing. shaped like Skims. Much of this has to do with yoga, fitness and wellness culture. Some Gen Z also favor this design due to their emphasis on comfort and casual dressing." Greene believes that one of the factors that makes this item popular with the masses is that it comes in many sizes, suitable for all body types.

Traditional sports brands actively participating in the legging market include Adidas, Puma and Nike. Their goal is to create designs that are both optimal for exercise and can be worn on the street while still being trendy. Greene appreciates this idea, because many people in today's society prefer luxurious, luxurious sportswear.