The Yin & Yang of Athleisure
Athleisure is so diffuse, so ubiquitous that it feels impossible to categorize. And yet, its most visible proponents effectively fall into one of two camps: athleisure makers are either private-equity darlings or earnest indies pushing forward simply because they can. Middle ground? What middle ground?
This divide was incidentally lain bare on August 5, the day that both Outdoor Voices relaunched under once-ousted founder Tyler "Ty" Haney and District Vision released its Fall/Winter 2025 collection.
This is not a comparison of two wholly disparate companies, mind you. Their near-simultaneous but otherwise unrelated launches simply offers an opportunity to consider two sides of the athleisure coin.
Over time, the term "athleisure" has come to describe a wardrobe of sporty clothing designed with exercise in mind but is also often worn as an easy daily uniform. Everyday activewear. Athletic leisure.
District Vision is the epitome of purpose-driven athleisure. That is to say, its sporty wares exist for no reason other than because they can.
Though its signature handcrafted eyewear predates the modern notion of wearing performance sunglasses for the sake of steeze, District Vision's killer shades look so good that they practically supersede purpose.
These glasses are so quality, in fact, that they were a jump-off point for a more expansive District Vision world, now rounded out by plainly cool clothing and excellent collaborative sneakers that're similarly driven by utility but made transcendent by sheer stylishness.
District Vision and other thoughtful-cool founder-run athleisure labels are driven to perfect their gear for the same reason that runners are driven to run.
These imprints don't follow trend — trend follows them. District Vision was sculpting stylish shades long before running clubs became dating apps, for instance. And even if wider interest in athleisure ever dipped, District Vision would continue sculpting those shades for the true believers, because that's who buys these brands.
And then there's Outdoor Voices.
Outdoor Voices was one of the first true athleisure success stories, launched in 2013 and estimated to be worth $110 million by 2018. Its friendly form of sporty gear proved incredibly popular and profitable, until it didn't. Allegations of “red flag” management and employee mistreatment slashed valuation to $40 million by 2020, leading to founder Ty Haney "stepping down." But Haney, herself a divisive character and occasional critic of the brand that she founded, rejoined Outdoor Voices in August 2025 at the bequest of new owners Consortium Brand Partners for a much-publicized relaunch.
Founded as one of those earnest indies with big ideas to burn, Outdoor Voices is now backed by private equity and intends to compete with athleisure leaders like Lululemon, ALO, Vuori, and even Kim Kardashian's SKIMS.
As its aim has shifted, so has its oeuvre. Fans of the original Outdoor Voices have noted that the renewed brand's product eschews original design principles to instead tap trend and thus mass appeal.
This keeps in line with the new wave of well-funded companies that sacrifice singular voice for a nondescript tone. When you're chasing the largest possible audience, individuality is an afterthought.
If District Vision is modern athleisure's yin, the new Outdoor Voices is its yang. They reflect the splintering of this ubiquitous form of dress, with modern athleisure either targeting everyone or, by comparison, hardly anyone. Either it comes for you or it demands discovery.
Which, hey, tale as old as time, certainly as far as menswear is concerned. Art versus commerce. But this is a new wrinkle for athleisure, which is still fairly young as an clothing "genre" and was born to perform, not champion personal style.
Still, modern athleisure presents a Matrix-style choice. Either fall in line with clothes that exist for the sake of clothes or seek out the small maker that speaks to you.
Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase. Want to shop the products our editors actually love? Visit the HS Style Guide for recs on all things fashion, footwear, and beauty.
