Wales Bonner Is Helping Athleisure Grow Up

Double Tap to ZoomStyleWales Bonner Is Helping Athleisure Grow UpThe category that once promised to make gym clothes more aesthetically acceptable has evolved into something far more interesting. The best athleisure now consists of clothes that are as comfortable as they are nice, and nice enough that no one even questions how comfortable they are. Look no further than adidas collaborations with brands like Wales Bonner to show us how it’s done.The standout piece from the collection, released last week, is a bark-brown leather blouson featuring embossed logos and a subtle crocheted Three Stripe down the arms. It’s likely to be a hit among the usual crowd, a piece that resembles designer outerwear at a friendlier price. It’s interesting to see this bomber among the tailored track jackets and crochet-stitch Sambas because Wales Bonner has spent so many seasons proving the strength of adidas’ archives beyond one particular terrace shoe. Now, the actual clothing design is getting the same treatment.The collection is indicative of a larger opportunity, too. Collaborations have become laboratories for silhouettes that designers may not otherwise explore within their own labels, with adidas providing both capital and heritage to support such experiments. A good example elsewhere in the adidas universe is the Song for the Mute washed-corduroy adidas blazer. It’s an ideal way for a collaboration to exist, combining a silhouette and fabric from the purview of Song for the Mute with contrast textural adidas Three Stripe. And adidas has long occupied a similar space through its work with Y-3, the collaborative line between the sportswear brand and Yohji Yamamoto.As our recent coverage on A$AP Rocky wearing Alo suggests, luxury and lounge are no longer discrete categories but simultaneous qualities we demand from our clothing. There’s an opportunity that athleisure in 2026 is taking, as evidenced by this adidas Originals Wales Bonner leather jacket. Which is to say: athleisure is no longer all about elevating comfy clothes or dressing down a fancy outfit. It’s about everyday ease, which can look like anything. Even a leather bomber.Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase. Want to shop the products our editors actually love? Visit our SHOPPER page and subscribe to the newsletter for recs on all things fashion, footwear, and beauty.We RecommendSix Years of adidas Collabs, One Exquisite Italian Wales Bonner SneakerGrace Wales Bonner Made Her Ultimate adidas Shoe. Now, She’s Toying With ItEver-Soft Wales Bonner adidas Shoes Go HardSoul Rebel: Bob Marley's Underrated Fashion StyleWales Bonner & adidas Are Running WildWhat To Read NextWales Bonner Is Helping Athleisure Grow UpNew Balance Trackside Makes Uniform Dressing Easy (& Elevated)New Balance’s Coffee-Flavored Shoe Is Straight-up MouthwateringHollywood’s Original Shoemaker Wants its FlowersJordan's Color-Shifting 'Space Jam' Shoes Are Genuinely MagicalNike’s Wavy Sneaker Is a Knight in Swaggy Armor