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| A student at Columbia University has created a new line of athletic wear to help encourage young women to become more interested in science. Epidemia Designs was created by Lizzie Chochran, a 24-year-old aspiring doctor, and feature biology-themed designs.
Chochran created the line last year, and the first prototypes were released in January. The line centers around workout gear and accessories for young women in bright colors and interesting human-body-inspired prints. According to the Huffington Post, Chochran started a Kickstarter campaing for fund the Epidemia Designs debut line of activewear leggings. The theme for the first line is “She’s Got It,” which encourages and celebrates female empowerment. The prints on the leggings will feature designs inspired by brain cells, nerve synapses, epithelial cells, and heart muscle. The leggings are called “She’s Got Brains,” “She’s Got Nerve,” “She’s Got Guts,” and “She’s Got Heart.” Athletic wear is already a trend that’s been growing in popularity for the last several years; sales of activewear to women increased 6.7% between 2010 and last year. Popular teen stores like Victoria’s Secret’s PINK and American Eagle’s Aerie both have a focus on trendy-looking workout clothes, and it’s a trend that teens are picking up quickly. According to Business Insider, activewear is now more popular than denim among upper-income female teens. Teens spend about 20% of their money on clothing, and the most popular store for teens to shop is Nike, an athletic clothing retailer. More of the top athletic wear stores for teens are Under Armour, Adidas, and Lululemon. When it comes to getting girls interested in science, Chochran chose the right channel. There is a growing focus on getting girls involved in the STEM fields in the U.S., and trendy athletic wear could be an effective way of encouraging that. “I think that there is still a belief among young girls that the sciences are men’s fields and, with Epidemia Designs, I hope to play a part in changing that perception,” Cochran told the Huffington Post in an email interview. “We hope that our designs will serve as conversation starters and, through interesting, appealing patterns, further the idea that science is for girls, too.” |