1970–2000

In the 1970s Geoffrey Beene, one of the first significant male sportswear designers, incorporated elements of menswear into his relaxed women's clothing. His fondness for layering garments and menswear elements are widely used by early 21st century industry designers.[2] In 1970, Bill Blass, whose fashion career began in 1946, founded his own company, Bill Blass Limited.[21] Blass's wearable designs were designed to be worn day and night and he was said to have raised American sportswear to the highest possible level.[22] Like Beene, he introduced menswear touches to his sportswear, which was described as clean, modern and impeccable in style.[22] In 1976, the designer Zoran brought out the first of a number of collections of extremely simple garments made of the finest quality fabrics; garments that barely changed over the years and which became cult objects to his wealthy clientele.[23] In 1993, the fashion journalist Suzy Menkes declared Zoran's less-is-more sportswear prophetic of the early 1990s modernist trend.[23]

Marc Jacobs, who set up his eponymous label in 1986, is renowned for layered informality in both day and evening wear.[2] Late 20th century sportswear designers with the highest profile include the industry empires of Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, and Tommy Hilfiger, each of whom created distinctive wardrobes for the American woman based upon stylish but wearable, comfortable and interchangeable multi-purpose clothes that combined practicability with luxury.[2] In 1993, Zoran, who had always worked along these principles, praised the work of Klein, Karan, and the work of the Anne Klein label as epitomising the "comfort, simplicity, and practicality" associated with sportswear.[23] Most early 21st century sportswear design follows in the footsteps of these designers.[2]

Alongside Jacobs and Zoran, other notable 1980s and 1990s sportswear designers include Isaac Mizrahi, who presented his first collection in 1987. The original Isaac Mizrahi label closed in 1998, and Mizrahi subsequently designed a womenswear diffusion collection for Target from 2002 to 2008.[2]