Sports and athleisure brands are pivoting toward more feminine aesthetics and strategic celebrity partnerships as they position themselves for the latter half of 2025, according to new data from social media analytics firm WeArisma.
Feminine Fitness Emerges as Key Trend
The sports and athleisure sector is shifting toward feminine-inspired fitness wear, with ballet and Pilates-influenced designs gaining traction. Brands such as Lululemon and Alo Yoga lead this movement, which is characterized by soft pink color palettes, slouchy socks, and bow accents.
This trend, dubbed “Pink Pilates Princesscore” in the report, coincides with Pilates’ rising popularity and has permeated mainstream culture to the extent that Spotify created a dedicated Wrapped category for fans of artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan, who embody this aesthetic.
The report highlights how Pilates, once primarily used as a performance enhancement tool for ballet dancers, now represents a blend of grace and strength that resonates with contemporary consumers.
Image source: WeArisma
Performance Skiwear Gets Style Upgrade
Another trend identified in WeArisma’s report is the evolution of women’s skiwear, with brands moving away from bulky designs toward sleek, tailored options that serve dual purposes on slopes and in social settings.
Brands including Perfect Moment, Fusalp, and Moncler are at the forefront of this transformation, creating pieces designed for both performance during skiing and style during après-ski activities. Celebrity influencers Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber further amplify this trend, showcasing vibrant, form-fitting ski suits that transition between athletic and social environments.
Celebrity Partnerships Drive Brand Growth
The report showcases Zendaya’s partnership with Swiss running brand On as a case study in effective celebrity collaboration. According to WeArisma’s data, On experienced 299% growth in social media engagements and 255% increase in Earned Media Value (EMV) during 2024, coinciding with the celebrity’s involvement.
What distinguishes this partnership, per the report, is Zendaya’s active contribution to On’s aesthetic direction and core mission beyond traditional endorsement roles. Her promotion of well-being through movement aligns with broader industry shifts toward lifestyle-oriented messaging.
The report suggests this represents a growing trend of celebrities leveraging their influence with younger demographics, particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers, to drive organic growth for brands.
Market Implications
WeArisma’s findings derive from analyzing 819,797 social media conversations about 58 sports and athleisure brands across 64 markets and seven platforms during 2024. The research incorporates data from 98,165 verified influential accounts, including celebrities, press, and influencers with minimum followings of 1,000.
The convergence of these trends signals broader shifts in consumer preferences within the sports and athleisure market. Meanwhile, the data on celebrity partnerships underscores how alignments with influential figures can drive measurable business outcomes.
The report indicates that brands succeeding in these areas effectively balance performance requirements with style considerations and leverage influential partnerships to shape not just marketing but broader brand direction.
Cecilia Carloni, Interview Manager at Influence Weekly and writer for NetInfluencer. Coming from beautiful Argentina, Ceci has spent years chatting with big names in the influencer world, making friends and learning insider info along the way. When she’s not deep in interviews or writing, she's enjoying life with her two daughters. Ceci’s stories give a peek behind the curtain of influencer life, sharing the real and interesting tales from her many conversations with movers and shakers in the space.
Sports and athleisure brands are pivoting toward more feminine aesthetics and strategic celebrity partnerships as they position themselves for the latter half of 2025, according to new data from social media analytics firm WeArisma.
Feminine Fitness Emerges as Key Trend
The sports and athleisure sector is shifting toward feminine-inspired fitness wear, with ballet and Pilates-influenced designs gaining traction. Brands such as Lululemon and Alo Yoga lead this movement, which is characterized by soft pink color palettes, slouchy socks, and bow accents.
This trend, dubbed “Pink Pilates Princesscore” in the report, coincides with Pilates’ rising popularity and has permeated mainstream culture to the extent that Spotify created a dedicated Wrapped category for fans of artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan, who embody this aesthetic.
The report highlights how Pilates, once primarily used as a performance enhancement tool for ballet dancers, now represents a blend of grace and strength that resonates with contemporary consumers.
Image source: WeArisma
Performance Skiwear Gets Style Upgrade
Another trend identified in WeArisma’s report is the evolution of women’s skiwear, with brands moving away from bulky designs toward sleek, tailored options that serve dual purposes on slopes and in social settings.
Brands including Perfect Moment, Fusalp, and Moncler are at the forefront of this transformation, creating pieces designed for both performance during skiing and style during après-ski activities. Celebrity influencers Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber further amplify this trend, showcasing vibrant, form-fitting ski suits that transition between athletic and social environments.
Celebrity Partnerships Drive Brand Growth
The report showcases Zendaya’s partnership with Swiss running brand On as a case study in effective celebrity collaboration. According to WeArisma’s data, On experienced 299% growth in social media engagements and 255% increase in Earned Media Value (EMV) during 2024, coinciding with the celebrity’s involvement.
What distinguishes this partnership, per the report, is Zendaya’s active contribution to On’s aesthetic direction and core mission beyond traditional endorsement roles. Her promotion of well-being through movement aligns with broader industry shifts toward lifestyle-oriented messaging.
The report suggests this represents a growing trend of celebrities leveraging their influence with younger demographics, particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers, to drive organic growth for brands.
Market Implications
WeArisma’s findings derive from analyzing 819,797 social media conversations about 58 sports and athleisure brands across 64 markets and seven platforms during 2024. The research incorporates data from 98,165 verified influential accounts, including celebrities, press, and influencers with minimum followings of 1,000.
The convergence of these trends signals broader shifts in consumer preferences within the sports and athleisure market. Meanwhile, the data on celebrity partnerships underscores how alignments with influential figures can drive measurable business outcomes.
The report indicates that brands succeeding in these areas effectively balance performance requirements with style considerations and leverage influential partnerships to shape not just marketing but broader brand direction.
The full report is available here.