Technical Innovations Help Legwear Make Strides

Today’s hosiery, socks and leggings makers have made strides to distance themselves from the often uncomfortable, impractical and unfashionable options of yore. The legwear market is running with new technical and fabric innovations that keep pace with consumer demand for on-trend, performance-driven pieces that draw inspiration from every segment of the fashion industry, from apparel to footwear. “Over the years, the fashion world has often had a love/hate relationship with legwear,” said Cathleen Moxham, lead design director for Hanes and L’eggs Hosiery. “At times, this category is described as ‘pantyhose’ and something that your grandmother or mother made you wear. However, today this concept is defying history.” For proof, she said, you need look no further than the Fall ’16 runway shows, where legwear was featured by brands like Prada, Gucci, Burberry and Chanel. Moxham cited Hanes Hosiery’s recent collaboration with designer Bibhu Mohapatra for New York Fashion Week as an example of the company’s own foray into the high-end arena. Invista, one of the world’s largest integrated producers of fibers and polymers and owner of the Lycra brand, recently teamed with trend-forecasting agency Stijlinstituut Amsterdam to predict some of the must-have legwear trends for 2017/18. Read more