Suddenly, the influence of sportswear on fashion is everywhere from haute couture to streetstyle and sportswear companies are now producing designer collections in their own right. Elegance and function have never been more excitingly combined or successfully fused.Advances in textile and garment technology have resulted in ever more sophisticated clothes and shoes specifically made to speed the runner, streamline the swimmer, protect the snowboarder, keep the football player cool and dry. In extreme' sports the enthusiasts' very survival could depend on the properties of their clothes.Leading fashion designers have been quick to appropriate both the aesthetic and the performance of sportswear. In some instances, performance has actually become the aesthetic.This excitingly illustrated book, written by two experts on revolutionary textiles, describes the new fabrics (including those made of metal, glass or ceramic yarns) and their amazing properties. It explains the new design processes for making clothes that are smart', seamless, have clever venting systems or mimic the carapace of an insect. It also includes the latest fashions that owe their stylish futuristic looks to the innovations of sportswear. For the first time, it is the fabric and the technology that make the trend.