Giambattista Valli launches activewear

Since the billionaire Pinault family has taken a majority interest in luxury brand Giambattista Valli, they have had their eyes set on expansion. In an effort to further their global expansion, the brand is launching an activewear capsule collection. While the namesake designer is known for his evening wear gowns, which have been worn by celebrities including Rihanna, Emma Stone and Diane Kruger, in the past few seasons he has been skewing more sporty and casual with printed-denim and taffeta jackets paired with tights.

Valli has more time now that his partnership with Moncler for their Moncler Gamme Rouge line is over. So for those who think that activewear might be out of Valli's wheelhouse, think again. He spent a decade designing the ski friendly line.

Giambattista Valli goes after its share of the athleisure market

This January, Valli will debut his namesake collection to buyers this January. “It’s a capsule collection where we will express a more functional side of the brand, while remaining faithful to the atmosphere of contemporary chic that is part of its DNA,” he told WWD in an exclusive interview.

Despite being an athleisure line, Valli still plans on incorporating the luxe materials into his designs that the fashion house is known for. Price points for the collection will range from 11000 euros to 2500 euros. The line will hit stores in June 2018 alongside pre-fall and will be distinctly marked with a color-coded label to differentiate from the mainline offerings.

Other changes at Giambattista Valli include their adjustments to fur production. Since the end of their contract with Ciwifurs, they have moved all production in-house.

Currently, Giambattista Valli's collections are carried at 245 retailers worldwide. In addition, the brand has boutiques in Paris, Milan, St. Tropez and Seoul.

Giambattista Valli has chosen an excellent time to launch athleisure, especially since the market is still going strong in the U.S. Although the apparel industry has seen some turmoil, the athleisure market has still been going strong with an estimated market size of 44 billion dollars according to NDP Group. It's a fashion trend that won't be waning anytime soon.

photo: via Giambattista Valli Facebook page