The Lycra Company, a world-leading innovator in fibre and technology solutions for the global apparel industry, has announced its annual legwear trend forecast for 2025 and 2026. The legwear innovation collection was crafted to align with the dynamic lifestyles of today's consumers, drawing inspiration from four distinct personas, each representing different stages of life and attitudes towards living, working, and leisure.

“By exploring their aspirations, desires, and ideas, we focused on creating product trends that merge quality, functionality, and desirability. These personas reflect the diverse motivations behind purchasing decisions, with fashion often serving as a form of self-expression and connection to social groups,” The Lycra Company said.

With this new trend forecast, we're redefining legwear by merging innovation, comfort, and sustainability

“In developing this collection, we prioritized both functional benefits - such as comfort, resilience, and durability - and design aesthetics that resonate with wearers' identities. Our aim was to create styles that evoke positive emotions like joy and excitement, fostering a deeper connection between consumers and the brand. The collection serves as a space for innovation, where the multidisciplinary Lycra legwear team embraces creative experimentation and risk-taking to explore new possibilities.”

Annually, through an alliance with the trend forecasting experts from Stijlinstituut Amsterdam, The Lycra Company introduces an innovative legwear collection designed to spark creativity and offer a curated approach to legwear design.

“With this new trend forecast, we're redefining legwear by merging innovation, comfort, and sustainability. Our vision is to offer solutions that not only enhance personal style but also drive progress for brands and manufacturers alike," said Jane Gwyther, EMEA Sales Manager for Legwear at The Lycra Company.

Each persona's legwear is designed to meet their unique needs and preferences, blending innovative features with their daily routines and aspirations:

- Lucy is young and trend-driven, seeking creativity, self-expression, inclusivity, and authenticity

- Nova values versatile fashion that transitions from professional to casual, supporting her active, balanced lifestyle

- Ava, with her bold, adventurous style, craves glamour, exclusivity, and excitement

-Ezra, ambitious and active, looks for premium, durable products that offer both style and functionality.

I Am Lucy

“My focus is college, sports, holidays, adventure and friendships!”

Lucy is a digital native who views fashion as a dynamic form of self-expression. She is a trendsetter, embracing diverse styles like Barbiecore, K-Pop, and Cottagecore while keeping an eye on quality, sustainability, and value. Her wardrobe reflects her passion for creativity, inclusivity, and individuality, with her colour palette dominated by soft pastels - lilac, pink, white, and grey - enhanced with vibrant pops of acid yellow and blue. Lucy isn't just following style trends; she's creating them. As a true digital native, she grew up with smartphones and finds traditional sports dull, preferring alternative, adventure, and e-sports. Lucy's bold fashion choices and conscious consumerism are shaping a new era in the industry.

- The Y2K trend is beloved by Lucy with her candyfloss-coloured socks use Coolmax Everyday Dry Comfort to wick moisture and a modal component for a smooth, silky feel in casual shoes for all day occasions

- Lucy's powdery pink cycling-length leggings feature laser-cut scalloped seams and Lycra Fusion fibre for customizable DIY creativity without fraying

- Lucy has been encouraged to be eco-conscious and an over-the-knee sock in white and lilac two-tone made with Coolmax EcoMade and Lycra EcoMade fibres combining 100% pre-consumer textile waste and BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) cotton for breathable, moisture-wicking, and comfortable wear

- A trompe l’oeil all in one hosiery garment with its K-pop aesthetic features a semi-sheer brief, netted hosiery, and ribbed knee-highs, this Lycra Beauty shaping garment uses Lycra Adaptiv fibres for ease of putting on and taking off

With each piece, Lucy stays true to her ethos: fashion that merges functionality, innovation, and personal style, all while staying conscious of sustainability and inclusivity.

I Am Nova

“My focus is wellbeing, family, friends, home, nature, work & leisure!”

Nova is tech-savvy, socially conscious, and values authenticity in both fashion and lifestyle. Navigating between online and offline worlds, she expects brands to meet her needs with convenience and transparency. Her generation, educated but financially burdened, seeks experiences like travel over traditional life paths, often delaying marriage and children.

In fashion, Nova is in a style dilemma. While trends from her youth are back, she prefers a modern twist on these nostalgic looks rather than reliving high school outfits. She embraces wellbeing and a healthy lifestyle, balancing exercise with indulgence, and values versatility in her wardrobe.

Nova’s fashion prioritizes comfort, function, and sustainability. She demands resilience and ease of wear, along with flattering designs that balance comfort and style.

- Nova's base layer garments maximize comfort with Thermolite Pro fibres for warmth and breathability, crafted from lightweight hollow fibres and 100% post-consumer waste. This versatile two-piece keeps her warm and dry for any occasion, from workdays to a ski vacation

- Merging performance with style, Nova's Lycra 3D hosiery garment features Lycra steam-settable fibre for a 360-degree fit, ensuring comfort and durability with a wider fit. The pattern reflects her love for updated classics, blending style and function with a rhythmically repeated opaque on a smooth sheer knit

- Nova’s knee-high socks are designed for practicality, featuring Lycra Energize for graduated compression to revitalize tired legs, and Lycra Adaptiv fibres for easy wear and removal. The two-tone design elongates the leg, blending style with functionality, Nova prefers apparel that serves multiple lifestyle needs

- Nova prefers minimalist styles, and her legwear features a swirl design that complements her active lifestyle. The Lycra Energize garments provides graduated compression to revitalize tired legs, while Lycra Adaptiv fibre ensures the wearer is able to put on and take off the garment easily

Nova's wardrobe reflects her connection to nature, favouring soft blues, greens, teals, browns, and pinks. These organic, subdued shades evoke optimism and retreat, while still connecting to her youthful energy. Pink, a nostalgic colour for Nova, now appears in muted tones, symbolizing maturity and resilience.

I Am Ava

“My focus is beauty, fashion, colour, celebration and glamour.”

Ava is a luxury consumer who values quality, exclusivity, and craftsmanship. Her generation has experienced both analogue and digital eras, making her independent and open to change. She balances work and life seamlessly, with a high disposable income that allows her to indulge in premium goods and experiences.

Ava is drawn to exclusivity and emotional connections to luxury brands, often favouring limited-edition items or members-only offers that enhance her sense of prestige. She seeks products that make her feel good, whether through brand heritage, craftsmanship, or the personal significance attached to owning an item. Her bold and eclectic style blends extravagant pieces with timeless designs, often featuring vibrant colours like saturated blues, greens, and teals that reflect her connection to nature.

Technological advancements and innovation captivate AVA, especially when they enhance both aesthetics and function. She gravitates towards contemporary brands that experiment with new trends and designs.

- Ava’s legwear is enhanced with Lycra Fusion True To You fibre, offering a luminous, run-resistant finish that combines a natural glow with shape retention and optimal waist band comfort thanks to the new developed fibre Lycra Top Comfort

- She prefers knee-highs made with vibrant colours and the band comfort of Lycra Made To Fit You construction which holds up and does not leave red marks

- Her seamless cobalt capris feature an enhanced Lycra Made To Fit You waistband for a secure, adaptable fit, accommodating a range of sizes. Lycra Adaptiv fibre ensures ease of movement, comfort, and style, staying in place without compromise

- Her love for intricate lace patterns and abstract designs is complemented by vibrant hues and sensory pastels. Semi opaque hosiery pieces made with Lycra Sheer Sensation fibres provide zero cling properties and durability, adding a luxurious feel to her wardrobe

Ava’s timeless yet experimental style makes her a trendsetter, embracing a wardrobe that blends classic luxury with modern innovation.

Our vision is to offer solutions that not only enhance personal style but also drive progress for brands and manufacturers alike

I Am Ezra

“My focus is adventure, performance, smart solutions, sport and design!”

Ezra is a well-rounded individual who prioritizes both physical well-being and a balanced lifestyle. He seeks high-quality products that align with his active, practical lifestyle and his forward-thinking approach to health, work, and adventure. He values products that support his proactive mindset, durability, and functionality, whether in fitness, career, or outdoor experiences.

- Coolmax toughFX socks: Durable, moisture-wicking, and comfortable, perfect for outdoor adventures. Ezra values their blend of functionality and natural aesthetic, making them ideal for hiking and workwear. The socks are lightweight and abrasion resistant, with soft cuffs that stay in place using the Lycra Soft Comfort fibre

- Coolmax Everyday Dry Comfort socks wick moisture away from the feet, keeping them dry all day. They align with Ezra's priorities, offering functional product design with enhanced performance features that add comfort to his daily and active lifestyle

- A modern take on the traditional herringbone made from 100% recycled materials, Thermolite Everyday Warmth socks combined with bamboo fibres offer everyday warmth to a modern cellulosic sock, with Lycra Soft Comfort fibre ensuring easy wear and a secure fit that stays in place

- White versatile ribbed socks are a practical fit for all Ezra’s activities with Lycra T400 EcoMade fibre offers a comfortable fit with excellent shape retention and staying in place, whilst also keeping their white colour and can even be bleached

Ezra’s style reflects his preference for classic, durable, and versatile items that offer high-performance benefits, whether he’s exploring the outdoors or navigating city life. His colour palette includes utilitarian shades like khaki, grey, burgundy, black, and white, which convey both ruggedness and sophistication.

He values Lycra fibre technology for its durability, comfort, and performance, with innovations like Lycra Soft Comfort offering staying up power and Lycra Dry using a special polyamide keeping feet dry. Whether for active pursuits or daily wear, Ezra seeks gear that seamlessly integrates into his lifestyle while supporting his commitment to sustainability and quality.

Learn more about The Lycra Company’s portfolio of products for legwear at Lycra.com.