Net-A-Sporter is set to change the game of the fashion-focused online sportswear market

Gym gear worn by lady standing on white wooden frame
Net-A-Porter is launching its athletic new sibling Net-A-Sporter - an e-commerce platform dedicated to fashion-forward activewear, including gym gear by Live The Process
(Image credit: TBC)

Taking the legwork out of sportswear shopping, luxury e-tailer Net-A-Porter will launch its sportif sidekick Net-A-Sporter on 9 July - entirely dedicated to high-style performance attire.

Servicing some 170 countries with 37 fashion-forward brands linked to eleven sporting disciplines, Net-A-Sporter no doubt plans to give early e-sport adoptors a run for their money.

'Activewear has long been a part of our offering,' explains Alison Loehnis, president of Net-A-Porter, which is based in the UK but with offices across the world. 'We know that fitness is an increasingly integral part of our customers lives across all markets.'

Thanks to the runway's recent flourish of sports-inspired ready-to-wear - from neoprene scuba dresses and silk tracksuit pants to embellished sweatshirts and couture trainers - high fashion activewear has become de rigueur for brands ranging from Kenzo to Chanel.

Since the success of the London Olympics, sportswear has increasingly stepped off the playing field and onto the pavement in Britain. It is, after all, ten years since Stella McCartney designed her first collection with Adidas - a partnership that's seen the Brit found a new lifestyle category of functional fashion - paving the way for London-based active and après labels like Monreal London and Lucas Hugh.

Not that Net-A-Sporter is first to cross the line of the e-commerce sportswear race track. Australian twins Julie and Sali Stevanja set up Stylerunner in October 2012, and have since seen exponential growth with sales increases of up 700 percent on the same period in 2013 - receiving traffic from over 150 countries since launch.

'Sali and I were living in Sydney and London respectively when we came up with the idea,' says Stevanga of the site's inception. 'We immediately realised the gap for this market was global. Even living in some of the largest cities in the world, the offering of curated sportswear for women that love fashion, just didn't exist.' Two years on and they say that there's still a huge amount of growth in their domestic market, with the US and Asia also showing strong projections for 2014.

Meanwhile, in the US, Carbon38 entered the market in January 2013, conceived by former ballet dancers Katie Warner Johnson and Caroline Gogolak, and founded on a 'work to workout to night out' mantra. Practicing what they preach, Johnson remains a celebrity personal trainer and teacher at Physique 57 in LA, while Gogolak started out at Intermix Corporate and Saint Laurent, before moving to Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs.

What's crystal clear is that competition is heating up in the online sportswear market. And Net-A-Sporter will no doubt change the game.

Lady tennis player wearing active wear sitting in front of net with tennis balls lying around her on the tennis court

Servicing 170 countries, with 37 fashion-forward brands linked to eleven sporting disciplines, Net-A-Sporter plans to give early e-sport adoptors a run for their money. Pictured: court side with Monreal London for Net-A-Sporter

(Image credit: TBC)

Surfer wearing swimwear holding a white surfboard and standing in the sea

Surf style with swimwear label Lisa Marie Fernandez for Net-A-Sporter. 'Activewear has long been a part of our offering,' explained Net-A-Porter president Alison Loehnis. 'We know that fitness is an increasingly integral part of our customers lives across all markets'

(Image credit: TBC)

Lady on the golf green wearing Net-A-Sporter's luxe label

A hole in one with L'Etoile, which also heads up Net-A-Sporter's luxe label line-up

(Image credit: TBC)

Net-A-Sporter model wearing white active wear on the left and on the right the model is wearing orange swimwear with a jacket

Net-A-Sporter is a boldfaced addition to this booming market, but it was not the first. Australian twins Julie and Sali Stevanja set up Stylerunner (pictured) in October 2012. Photography: Georges Antoni

(Image credit: Georges Antoni)

Models wearing Adidas range. The model on the left is standing on her head dressed in white. The model on the right is wearing yellow and peach active wear with a denim bag

Stella McCartney designed her first collection with Adidas a decade ago - a partnership that's seen the Brit found a new lifestyle category of functional fashion. Pictured: S/S 2014

(Image credit: TBC)

Model on left is wearing black yoga wear and the model on the right is wearing teal swimwear

There aren't many sports that McCartney hasn't since kitted out, from yoga to swimming

(Image credit: TBC)

Model wearing orange and white active wear on the left and the model on the right is wearing white and black active wear

The combination of high performance fabric innovation and cutting-edge design has been instrumental to the line's global success

(Image credit: TBC)

Model wearing white tennis outfit with tennis balls around her

McCartney paved the the way for other UK sportif brands like Monreal London (pictured)

(Image credit: TBC)

Tennis racket with bag next to Monreal London pink and white tennis cap

Monreal London was founded by German tennis pro Stefanï Grosse in 2013

(Image credit: TBC)

Model exercising, wearing red active wear with a view of the sea

Another fashion favourite is Lucas Hugh, founded by London-based New Zealander Anjhe Mules in 2010

(Image credit: TBC)

Model wearing active wear with a view of the sea

Mules designs activewear that keeps working well outside of gym hours

(Image credit: TBC)