[🇺🇸] “No More Leggings”: The End of an Era for the Athleisure Staple

The era of leggings—once the face of the global athleisure boom during the COVID-19 years—is coming to a close.

Once hailed for blurring the line between casualwear and activewear, leggings have rapidly fallen out of favor as Gen Z’s fashion preferences shift toward looser silhouettes. The rise of “relaxed-fit” styles has even hit the spandex industry, the very foundation of the leggings trend.

Hyosung TNC, the world’s largest spandex manufacturer, has seen its third-quarter profit forecasts slashed repeatedly, with Hana Securities cutting estimates from 79 billion KRW to 59.5 billion KRW. Major Chinese producers are also reporting declining output and profitability. Globally, spandex production expansion is expected to drop from 160,000 tons this year to just 70,000 tons next year—nearly half.

The cause is clear: plummeting demand for leggings.

According to retail analytics firm Edited, leggings’ share of the women’s activewear market fell sharply from 46.9% in 2022 to 38.7% last year. As joggers, track pants, and wide-leg trousers dominate wardrobes, the reign of the “tight fit” has ended. Even iconic brand Lululemon has seen its stock price drop nearly 50% this year, while competitors like Alo Yoga and FP Movement are pivoting toward looser, comfort-driven apparel.

Korean brands are also adapting.

Andar has strengthened its men’s and training lines, while Mula Wear is diversifying into “swim-leisure” concepts.

Fashion experts note that MZ—and particularly Gen Z—consumers now value “natural comfort” over “body-conscious style,” signaling the end of leggings as a youth symbol. As The Business of Fashion put it, “After dominating closets for over a decade, leggings have become rare even in gyms.”

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