Stellar Stella... Style With Substance!

Thanks to Stella McCartney, I can now look chic even when I am exercising. Adidas by Stella McCartney debuted in 2004 and was an instant hit with active fashionistas everywhere. When it comes to sportswear, looks and functions are of equal importance. The Brit designer teamed up with Adidas to create performance collections that look pretty darn good even when worn out of the sporting arena.

Here's what Stella said:

"I really wanted to change what I saw out there. Sports clothing for women was such an ill addressed subject. The colours were very basic and hardly any variation in design, it was so bad. I saw that as a real opportunity to put that right, by offering women something they could work out in and still feel good about the way they look. There is a real validity to making good-looking sportswear clothes for women. In this day and age, we should not have to compromise style for performance."

My first encounter with Adidas by Stella McCartney was two years ago, when I needed some nice ski gear for my virgin attempt at skiing... at Megeve (major stress as it's the hip spot for skiing). My motto is "If I can't ski, at least I look good on the slopes". Hence the search begun for the perfect ski jacket months before the ski trip. I found a off-white ski jacket while I was in Seoul two months prior. Fitted at all the right areas to give me a slim silhouette, it also kept me warm and dry (I fell a lot while learning) with its innovative technology. The well thought-out pockets at the right places are also worth a mention.

Then I found these fabulous snow boots for my recent trip to Niseko. They kept my feet warm and dry.... and chic, but they are still a tad slippery. Perhaps the next generation of snow boots by Stella will be better. You will be surprised that I found these boots at the small Adidas corner on the fourth floor of Takashimaya Department Store. *Tip: If you need some chic ski gear in a hurry, do check out Taka.

Up next is the yoga gear! I recently started practising yoga and needed some encouragement on the fashion front. I may be a yoga rookie, but my gear still has to look fab. Who do I turn to? Stella of course.

For a start, I didn't go all out crazy when stocking my yoga gear. I bought the regular gym stuff from Adidas... but I bought a lovely cotton biker jacket and a yoga mat (both are now on sale at Net-a-porter if you are interested). The jacket adds a sporty-luxe off-duty look to my workout gear.

Since Net-a-porter is having its end of season sale, I couldn't resist picking up this hooded cotton fleece top.

However, I am eyeing these looks from the yoga range. Perhaps, I shall reward myself with new gear when I get better at yoga.

Running, golf, gym, yoga, tennis, dance and wintersports; Adidas by Stella McCartney is the chicest sportswear around. I am hoping she will design something for equestrian soon, since I have started my horseback riding lessons....

Official Sites: www.adidas.com and www.net-a-porter.com