There was a time when wearing a sweatsuit in public was considered poor taste — an explicit admission that you had 'given up.' Today, the matching set is as much a status symbol as it is a fashion statement. It struts down the runways of Milan and Paris, commands street style in Los Angeles, and commands four-figure price tags from luxury fashion houses. It's evolution is finally complete with FreeCity x Wildflower collab, as seen on Devon and Sydney, but how did exactly we get here?

Let's go back to the beginning. It all started with Émile Camuset, who founded Le Coq Sportif sports equipment company, in the 1920s. Originally, these designs were strictly for athletes: constructed from gray, heavy cotton fleece still relied on today to absorb sweat and retain warmth. By the 1930s, the Russell Manufacturing Company pioneered the crewneck sweatshirt, swapping out wool for soft cotton. Then came, Champion who invented a reverse-weave hoodie that wouldn't shrink when washed. Despite these developments, for decades, the sweatsuit remained a training uniform, always for men. 

Then came the advent of hip-hop, along with the Adidas three-stripe tracksuit. New York's B-boys and graffiti artists introduced the style to popular culture, before Dapper Dan, the Harlem icon, screen-printed bootleg luxury logos — Gucci, Louis Vuitton, MCM — onto custom textile tracksuits for hip-hop royalty. At the same time, the jogging craze took over, and the sweatsuit became as essential American apparel as the t-shirt. 

When the 2000s arrived, everything changed. 

The sweatsuit underwent a radical, hyper-feminine makeover. Juicy Couture took the sweatsuit, and turned it velour. Founders Gela Nash-Taylor and Pamela Skaist-Levy had the ingenious idea to send a range of custom sweatsuits in a range of colors to the most powerful celebrities, introducing influencer marketing as we now know it. As Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, all wore Juicy Couture to travel or run their daily errands, they became the definitive outfit of the tabloid era. It was a brilliant paradox: a garment designed for lounging was soon worn as an shameless display of wealth. And the more you had, the better (Mandy Moore had "no joke, probably 25").

As the rise of 'athleisure' and 'normcore' took over the 2010s, the sweatsuit transformed once again. Juicy went out, then came back in. Demna at Vetements and Balenciaga reimagined oversized, deliberately mundane hoodies as high fashion. And then came the pandemic. Suddenly, the sweatsuit was widely accepted as everyday-wear. Brands like Fear of God (Essentials), Pangaia, and Sporty & Rich became the new corporate or school uniform. Celine, Acne, and even Dior and Prada embraced the trend. 

Enter: the expansion. Sweatsuits now take many different forms: shorts or culottes, lightweight longsleeves or even heavy cotton cardigans. This is all on full display in the new FREECITY x Madhappy collaboration collection. For the uninitiated, FREECITY was founded in California in 2001, and has grown to become a cult-favorite loungewear brand celebrated for luxurious, hand-dyed fabrics. Streetwear label Madhappy is similarly beloved for its quality and cutting-edge design. Devon and Sydney star in the new campaign, which is perfectly accessorized with a limited-edition FREECITY x Wildflower phone case.

In some cultures, the sweatsuit will always be counter-cultural, or lazy, but not here. In the United States, the it is an optimized wardrobe staple — just as useful on the track or in the gym as it is in the beach, in the bedroom or behind a computer. They can be paired with tailored overcoats, designer bags, and loafers and even kitten heels, ultimately representing a more modern philosophy of dressing: egalitarian, effortless, and most importantly, comfort-first.