Athletic Wear in Bloomingdale’s Windows

Bloomingdale’s (New York) has been devoting the Third Avenue windows in its flagship store to the trend towards high-fashion athletic wear – sweatpants, yoga gear, running shorts, baseball jackets.

“Not only is the need there, there is the supply and the diversity of designers that are really feeding this,” Brooke Jaffe, Bloomingdale’s vp of women’s ready-to-wear, told Bloomberg News. “We call it ‘Track and Heels.’ ”

Bloomberg said other chains are following the trend, too. Aeropostale Inc. (New York) has introduced its Live Love Dream line. Gap Inc. (San Francisco) also has diversified into activewear with its Athleta brand.

Bloomberg noted that baseball jackets and cashmere track pants have also found their way onto the runway at New York’s fashion week.

While overall U.S. apparel sales rose 2 percent last year, activewear sales surged 9 percent to $33 billion, according to the NPD Group, (Port Washington, N.Y.).

Under Armour (Baltimore), Nike (Beaverton, Ore.) and Lululemon Athletica (Vancouver, B.C.) have all benefited from the surge.