It’s been a while since we’ve had to endure Juicy Couture’s project of making tracksuits uglier yet far more expensive. The Juicy Couture phenomenon of the late ’90s and early ’00s was a hallmark of a certain kind of celebrity fashion trend, one that is not only somewhat unattractive and unflattering, but also dull and heavily branded.
The more recent “athleisure” trend could be categorized similarly, so it’s not surprising that Juicy Couture, which reentered the sartorial spotlight last summer with its Vetements collaboration, would want to remake itself in the image of $200 leggings. Juicy’s new creative director, celebrity stylist Jamie Mizrahi (whose A-list clients include Katy Perry, Riley Keough, and Leighton Meester), told WWD on Tuesday that she would be taking the company in just that direction, saying, “I am not trying to reinvent Juicy. It has such a brand identity already—carefree, tongue-in-cheek fashion. What I’m doing is taking the history that is so special and continuing to make it feel fun and wearable by bringing back silhouettes and materials and making them work for the modern women.” According to The Hollywood Reporter that plan entails expanding Juicy’s athleisure options.
But is velour now out of the question? Is that even a question? Mizrahi has already custom-designed a floor-length light pink “track skirt” for Perry to wear in public, and though I can’t quite make out the material, you could probably get that shit waffle-knit for all anyone cares.