Fogal collabs with Dries and Zadig & Voltaire; develops new leggings with Olympic champ Yannick Agnel

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
May 31, 2021

In a busy centennial year, Fogal has just unveiled the latest twist in its product mix into loungewear and athleisure via collabs with a trio of fashion brands, and some svelte new leggings designed with French Olympic swimming champ Yannick Agnel.

 
The nec-plus-ultra of legwear, Fogal developed three capsules with Dries Van Noten, Ulla Johnson and Zadig & Voltaire, for fall/winter 2021-22, with retail debuts in September.
 
“We are positioning Fogal as part of a new ready-to-wear designed for all times of the day, from the yoga room to afterwork, and including the home office. Women want new garments in tune with the times, that combine ease, vitality and look of their times,” explains Margaux Burrus, who acquired Fogal with her husband Edouard in 2017, and handles the brand’s communications.

The product diversification comes as the Swiss-based marque celebrates its 100th anniversary. The house was founded in Zurich in 1921 by Léon Fogal, using top level natural fabrics like cashmere and silk to create legendarily durable hosiery and tights.
 
Fogal had already linked up with Van Noten for one of his shows, showing multi-colored rights by the Belgian designer in one of his shows. Though these new collections with a design trio emphasize greater eco-responsibility as they are composed from organic and recycled fibers.
 
In an active 2021, Fogal also produced new techy leggings and tank tops – ideal for gym or active shopping – emblazoned with the marque’s script logo and designed by veteran tastemaker and creative director Jean-Luc Amsler.

 
And in another innovation, Fogal invited in Agnel, a three-time Olympic medalist, who won the gold in the 200-meter freestyle the 2012 London Olympic Games, to investigate the house’s archives. The result is the sleekest of leggings, defined by two thin white side stripes and made a blend of couture worthy polyamides.
 
Agnel’s goal:  new leggings intended for women to raise awareness of the equity between female and male performances.
 
“I loved Fogal’s idea and the end result looks great, and super effective,” explained Agnel, who since retiring from competitive sport has turned his hand to writing. His debut novel, Les Racines du Soleil, or The Roots of the Sun, about expats in Japan, is about to be published. And he is off to that country next month to work as a TV commentator during the upcoming Tokyo Olympics – assuming that they actually take place.
 
Another chance to see thousands of competitive women in action – hopefully some of them in Fogal.