By Sarah Tinoco
January 28, 2014
Once a menswear staple and a popular pick for those trips to the gym, the sweatshirt has made a notable comeback into the world of woman’s wear.
The sweatshirt made its most famed return on the 2012-2013 runway at Kenzo during Paris Fashion Week. These freshly embroidered jerseys featured the tiger mascot from original designer Kenzo Takada’s first store, Jungle Jap. The tiger’s face roared across three styles of the sweatshirt at Kenzo, but has since trickled through the downward flow from the high fashion runway to mass-producing chain stores.
Fast-forward a year later and sweatshirts were popping up at various shows in the 2013/2014 season.
Riccardo Tisci featured flames, baroque designs, black and white photographs and Disney’s “Bambi”on sweatshirts at Givenchy in Paris.
Sweatshirts at Reed Krakoff’s show in New York presented crocodile prints that mistakably appeared as the true texture of the reptile.
At the Spring/Summer 2014 fashion shows this past fall in New York, Jason Wu presented a floral embroidered sweatshirt, while Alexander Wang revealed a provocative shear statement sweatshirt displaying the “Parental Advisory” logo across the bust. In Paris, Oliveier Rousteing showed a combination of floral-embroidered into shear textile at Balmain.
Off the runways, sweatshirts have been making it big on the streets.
Diamond Supply Co. and Brian Lichtenberg have been very popular amongst young adults. Brian Lichtenburg in particular has been made known for his statement sweatshirts, playing up the names of famous designer labels. Sweatshirts include the puns “Homiès” for the Parisian brand Hermès and “BALLIN” for Balmain.
College sweatshirts have been a huge choice of attire for many young people as well. Sweatshirts from universities across the nation can be spotted on a single college campus.
From cheeky phrases, studs and gems, leather and shear textiles, the sweatshirt has evidently come a long way from its basic heather gray.
What differentiates the comfortable, lazy sweatshirt from its even lazier counterpart, sweatpants, is that it can now be paired with almost any garment and make for a great outfit. From printed pants to a mini skirt, or worn over a button down with jeans and heels, the sweatshirt has become a true must-have item.