Capitalizing on boomers' growing concerns over "metabolic syndrome"--a collection of health risks, including obesity, that are associated with heart disease--Wacoal, a Japanese maker of women's underthings, is launching a garment form men called "ex walker." It's made of nylon and polyurethane designed to tone flabby bellies, thighs, and hips, not just to hold them in, reports The Wall Street Journal (December 28, 2007). The girdle supposedly helps the wearer shed body fat by forcing him to take longer strides when he walks.
While men's underwear makers go out of their way to avoid the "G-word," a growing number of labels are launching elasticized "shapewear," "bodywear," "support boxers" and other beer-belly-constricting undergarments for men. Men are starting to ease into the idea.
Saks Fifth Avenue in January started carrying a new line from 2(X)ist featuring spandex briefs and tank tops designed to have a trimming effect. In the fall, Los Angeles underwear brand Go Softwear will roll out a men's "Waist Eliminator," which has a waistband that extends up to mid-torso in order to hold the tummy in.
Many sports apparel companies focus on so-called muscle compression. When you exercise, your muscles expand with blood and other fluids, says Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli, a director at Penn State's center for sports medicine. Tight-fitting fabric pressing against muscle helps the fluid drain and eases the entry of fresh blood. "Theoretically, that allows you to feel better and generate more power to improve your performance," says Sebastianelli. But "the conclusions are mostly anecdotal. Meanwhile people are spending millions of dollars on the stuff."
For years, doctors have prescribed compression socks for deep vein thrombosis, an ailment marked by pooling of blood in the veins. The supports, often worn on long plane trips, help push blood through the veins. Credit for bringing the idea to the mass market goes to Under Armour, which grew into a $600 million megabrand by marketing its gear as a hip answer to loose-fitting cotton T-shirts.
Other companies trumpet their fabric innovations. Wacoal sells tights that mimic the Japanese art of taping athlete's limbs. Form-fitting suits for swimmers, meanwhile, seek to reduce drag in the water. "I'm confident knowing that I'm wearing the fastest suit," says world record holder Michael Phelps on Speedo's website.
Speedo enlists experts in aerospace, engineering and medicine to develop its swimwear, but not all exercise specialists are persuaded that the performance claims, well, hold water. "Phelps is a talented swimmer, but he is getting a lot of money for the endorsement," says Penn State's Sebastianelli. "That is testimony, not science."
Sources: The Wall Street Journal, March 15, 2008 and BusinessWeek, March 24, 2008
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