Juicy Couture Tracksuits Are Still Popular

One of the most popular trends of the 2000s was the velour tracksuit.  The most popular of these by far were the Juicy Couture tracksuits.  The tracksuit spawned countless imitators and was immensely popular with celebrities, and average everyday citizens.  Developed in Southern California by Juicy Couture creators Pam and Gela, this innovation was unlike any other that had come before it.  For the very first time in the history of fashion, a tracksuit which had heretofore been relegated to the ranks of athletic wear only was quickly becoming the most popular kind of clothing to wear to parties, shopping or on really every occasion. 

The style of the Juicy Couture tracksuits is inherently casual.  By raising the quality of fabric and workmanship to a level higher than that of the average tracksuit, the designers had made a high quality item that looked as stylish to the eye as it was comfortable to the body.  There are myriad reasons why this style should never have caught on, but in America, comfort was synonymous with style so for the people who tend to throw on sweatpants and a sweatshirt or a tee shirt for their everyday errands, going to lunch or go shopping, the suit was a way to remain as comfortable as you were in your sweatpants while looking a little bit more chic and interesting than sloppy and sweaty.

California was the place of origin for these tracksuits, and the citizens of the West Coast embraced the trend wholeheartedly.  Up and down the coast, young women were wearing the tracksuits and the popularity soon caught on with celebrities.  Due to the pervasive influence of the internet and celebrity tabloids, Juicy Couture tracksuits soon became a fashion status symbol. The tracksuits were much more expensive than a regular tracksuit but had the advantage of a logo-laden piece of clothing despite not having any logo or branding on the front.  The tracksuits soon evolved and became available in a variety of colors and styles, and soon logos, branding and large heavy-weight labels made the Juicy Couture version of the popular garment instantly recognizable to all who saw it.

The reception on the East Coast was a bit chillier than the designers had anticipated.  New York fashion critics, who regularly criticized the overly casual style of the West Coaster, turned up their noses at the ensemble which many deemed cheesy or sloppy.  Eventually however, the tracksuits crossed the country and became a staple on college campuses, in salons, shopping malls and restaurants.  Since then the Juicy Couture brand has expanded to a full line of clothing. From sweatsuits to jeans, to shirts to gowns, the Juicy empire has made incredible strides over many years. 

In one the most interesting fashion stories of the twentieth century, what began as a simple tracksuit created by two Los Angeles area mothers, rebuffed all of the negative sneering of the fashion community and became a powerful player in the fashion game.  Regardless of people's initial attitudes towards the fashion house, they eventually proved that they were worthy of high fashion status and have enjoyed the status of a high quality fashion house for several years.  The designers have wisely moved away from the southern California style that made them famous and began embracing a more formal and graceful aesthetic. All of the success of these two designers, however, is owed to the first initial success of Juicy Couture tracksuits.