Starting an Athleisure Business Short Course
Course description
Course overview
The global athleisure market has become one of the fastest‑growing segments in fashion, driven by shifts in consumer lifestyles, the rise of wellness culture, hybrid working patterns, and increasing demand for versatile, functional apparel. This course provides an in‑depth introduction to this dynamic sector of the fashion industry, where performance, comfort and contemporary style meet.
You’ll explore the functionality and design principles of sportswear alongside the holistic, lifestyle‑oriented approach of athleisure. Through this lens, the course examines market positioning, consumer expectations, sustainability pressures, brand differentiation and the evolving cultural landscape behind this booming category.
Through lectures, case studies, and group discussions, you’ll learn how to take an athleisure concept from idea to commercial proposal. You wi'll develop your own brand or capsule concept as you gain practical skills in market research, product planning, concept creation, branding, and digital marketing strategies.
Why Athleisure?
Athleisure sits at the intersection of fashion, sport and lifestyle, making it one of the most resilient and opportunity‑rich areas in apparel today. The global market continues to expand due to the merging of active lifestyles with everyday wear, the rise of wellness‑driven consumer behaviour, and the increasing importance of technical fabrics and sustainable innovation. You can take your learning further with our complementary courses in this field: Sportswear Design Short Course and Activewear Design Short Course.
Who this course is for
This course is designed for aspiring and emerging fashion designers, graduates, entrepreneurial creatives and career‑changers interested in the growing activewear and athleisure markets.
Students will need to have some basic IT skills to produce concept boards and create a final project plan and presentation. Knowledge and skills using Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop is advantageous. This is a concept-based course and does not include any garment construction work or pattern cutting.
Key information
Topics covered
- Introduction to sportswear and athleisure markets
- Macro trend forecasting and lifestyle shifts
- Competitive landscape and brand differentiation
- Identifying the right target customer
- Brand values and positioning
- Fabric innovation and sustainability
- Technical specification overviews
- Collection planning and range building
- Marketing strategy and digital promotion
Learning outcomes
- An overview into the athleisure and sportswear sectors
- Be able to identify macro trends and consumer shifts in the athleisure and sportswear fashion market
- Work on creating a strong brand concept
- Produce work and research aligned with the current industry trends and requirements
- Work on preparing an initial marketing and launch plan for your brand concept
Materials
- Ability to use Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop on campus (or on your devices). The course can be followed by sketching by hand only but using the above software is recommended.
- Sketchbook
- Pen and pencil
Tutor
Cristina Adami
Cristina Adami is an Italian designer based in Clerkenwell, London. After completing a BA in Visual Communication at the prestigious Institute Superiore Industrie Artistiche (ISIA) of Urbino in 1997 she completed her studies with an MA in Design Studies at CSM in 2001. Her fascination with fashion and technology inspired her dissertation research into the role of clothing in the absence of gravity. This let to work in Sportswear, Activewear and Swimwear. Her design work encompassed development of technical textile for athletes, collaborations with international clubs and sponsorships including creating specific lines for the Olympic Games and the development of speed enhancing fabric Powerskin.
Throughout the years Cristina has also designed for a number of UK and International brands and retailers. Cristina’s design work is distinguished by a mix of functionality and bohemian aesthetic. Brands she worked for include Arena International, Fila, Fifa, David Lloyd, Firetrap, Monsoon, Jaeger, Maison Derhy, Victoria’s Secret as well as designing Florence Welch first US tour costumes and the Julian McDonald range at Debenhams.
As an educator Cristina supports students creativity by encouraging self-expression and team work development. Her teaching combines theoretical background with industry based workshops that links learning to real life example preparing students to industry.
Cristina current research is in the role of AI visualisation to aid creativity and development. Her focus is the role of analogue creative techniques in a digitalised world. She questions the importance of creative experimentation in relation to technological advancement. Pushing the boundaries of what is possible is central to her practice and her pedagogy, encouraging students to explore possibilities out of the beaten track to find their own authentic voice.
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