Five local sportswear brands to know and wear this FIFA Women's World Cup
If you’re a newer member of the Fifa fan club (no shade here, there’s room for all), you’ve got a fair bit to catch up on.
Between swatting up on the players to look out for, tracking who’s most likely to win and planning your viewing party snacks, you might not have found time to pick out your footy watching outfit yet.
Never fear, given that fashion is obsessed with football at the moment, dressing for the upcoming World Cup is easy. Throw on a jersey, and you’re pretty much good to go from a supporter and style perspective.
But what about when that kit’s in the wash? This isn’t a shirts or skins situation. And what to wear underneath or on your bottom half? Apart from official merch, there is luckily scores of other sportswear swag about that mixes function and fashion.
Regardless of whether you’re still holding out hope you’ll get the call-up yourself and thus need match fit gear, or the most strenuous activity your outfit will see is throwing yourself into the wave that makes its way around the stadium, these local brands will see you right for the full 90 minutes.
Lifelong fans of sports of all codes, Fantl Sport specialises in crossover apparel that breaks the barriers between athletic and everyday wear.
Try: The Fantl fleece, $340.
When Hine Collection founder Miria Flavell, then a size 16, started her own health and fitness journey after a health scare, she struggled to find activewear clothing that fit her frame. Frustrated, she set out to build a lesiurewear brand that would help women of all sizes “feel represented and seen, which would bring so much more confidence to themselves”.
Try: Hine Collection cropped long-sleeve, $80, and full length leggings, $95.
Driven by a desire to create a lifestyle brand that meets the needs of humans while caring for the environment, LETE activewear is fabricated from a sustainable, renewable and biodegradable bamboo fabric that aims to be gentle on your skin and the earth.
Try: Lete Native bra, $89 and Innate shorts, $89
Run from Tāmaki Makaurau and made ethically in Bali, WE-AR creates relaxed designs that they say “feel good against the skin, perform well, are of good quality and are good for the environment”. Their cosy yoga clothing is especially rated amongst yogis and fans of gentle exercise.
Try: WE-AR Cush hoodie, $245 and Basika flare pants, $165
If you nabbed tickets to the game and will be catching a match out in the elements, you won’t regret layering up in a Merino from icebreaker. The lightweight wool regulates body temperature, wicks away moisture and, crucially, feels soft against your body.
Try: Timberland x icebreaker Merino linen sleeveless top, $170, and Merino terry chino shorts, $240.
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