APC x Outdoor Voices Activewear Collection

New York activewear meets Parisian minimalism as this season sees the launch of a high-performance workout collaboration, writes Lee Holmes

A.P.C. x Outdoor Voices AW16

Fashion in the 1980s certainly isn’t remembered for its subtlety or good taste. Jackets with shoulder pads up to your ears, or parachute trousers with a saggy crotch all the way down to your knees, are just two trends that we’d perhaps like to erase from our collective memory bank. However, this was also the decade that saw the birth of the French label A.P.C., and with its preference for clean lines, attention to detail and muted colour palette it was the very antithesis of what the bold-as-brass Eighties came to represent.

A.P.C. x Outdoor Voices AW16

Over the ensuing years the label has developed a cult following that is still going strong to this day, while at the same time adding to its list of devotees with clever collaborations with other like-minded designers. And its latest sartorial brainchild is with the American brand Outdoor Voices; launched in 2012, this active-wear lifestyle apparel is for folk who basically don’t want their gym kit to be dominated by sportswear logos.

Unsurprisingly then, the joint collection for both men and women is nothing if not functional, consisting of the basics such as T-shirts, shorts, tailored sweatpants and simple outerwear. It’s pretty much made for anyone who wants their gym wear to stay in line with what they would normally wear on the street, slotting seamlessly into the current obsession for “athleisure” – clothes that work both at the gym and the office.

A.P.C. x Outdoor Voices AW16

So you shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking that this collection isn’t stylish too. Far from it. For instance, there are none of the usual pops of neon colour that you might associate with the bigger sportier brands – instead there’s lots of French navy (how chic) mixed up with subtle greys and khakis. It’s clear that with this collection both A.P.C and Outdoor Voices certainly know their core customers. They’re playing to their strengths and who can blame them for that?