Elie Tahari Sport To Be Available For Spring 2015

(Photo : Getty/D Dipasupil)

Elie Tahari is set to debut Elie Tahari Sport for the spring. The line will have 25 styles, which includes jackets and fleece hoodies with bonded mesh trim. Retail prices will range from $68 for a T-shirt to $350 for a mesh cape.

'It's not a trend - it's a movement, a way of life,' Tahari told WWD about the recent athletic wear trend.

'People want great activewear, not just to go to the gym or to hang out on a Saturday afternoon. They go to work, to dinner, with it now. If you go to a restaurant and you look around, I used to count 90 percent jeans. Now, that's changed - it's leggings.'

The designer did not disclose sales projections for the line to WWD.

It will be available for pre-order at elietahari.com on Jan. 5 for shipping in late February. In early 2015, the line will also launch at Elie Tahari stores and wholesale accounts - including Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Bergdorf Goodman and Nieman Marcus.

'We ship it to stores, and they reorder when they sell something,' Tahari explained to WWD. 'It's an automatic reorder in the system.'

Elie Tahari Sport has its own logo and hangtag. The line is being marketed separately from Tahari's eponymous brand.

'It's about feeling luxury,' the designer told WWD about the launch, 'but dressing down.'

Last November, Tahari took control of his own company from previous CEO Bob Galvin.

'I would like to thank Bob for all his efforts and accomplishments and his dedication to the brand. I look forward to working with the executive management team as we move forward during this period of exceptional growth,' he reportedly told WWD.

What do you think about luxury designers expanding into activewear? How do you think Elie Tahari Sport will sell? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

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