A Look at the Indian Athleisure Market Play

The dimensions, driving forces, and potential of the Indian athleisure market

- Anagha Ratna

The fashion landscape all over the world has experienced a significant transformation since the pandemic, embracing the trend of dressing for comfort. This shift has popularised the use of athleisure-sportswear and functional, comfortable, and fashionable attire all rolled into one. The trend has been catching up in India ever since, spawning a thriving industry. Athleisure is part of India's sports equipment, footwear and apparel market that reached a total of ₹218 billion rupees in the financial year 2022, marking a growth of approximately 122.5% from the ₹98 billion recorded in 2015, as per data analytics platform Statista.

"The athleisure market in the past five years has just blown up in India and taken the market by storm. People are not just wearing athleisure to the gym, but to casual outings or even formal events these days. 10 years ago, the per capita ownership of shoes was barely 2-3 pairs, now it's easily around 4-6 pairs of shoes," said Raunaq Singh Prem, Co-founder of OffLimits, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) sports apparel brand.

Behind the Growth

Various studies estimate the category to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 7 to 13% from 2020 to 2025. But what is driving the growth of this segment? "Three key factors fueling this remarkable growth are India's rising fitness consciousness, the fusion of fashion and function, and the seamless blend of traditional and contemporary lifestyles. The market will witness continued growth, driven by a deeper integration of technology into athleisure products and increased focus on sustainable and eco-friendly materials," said Saurabh Srivastava, Vice President at Amazon Fashion India.