Dive Brief:

• Tommy Hilfiger on Wednesday released a new althleisure and athletic line to website and stores, according to a company press release emailed to Retail Dive. The collection was announced globally last month, according to news reports.

• The collection for men and women includes sports bras, leggings, shorts and tank tops "with bright color-blocking, oversized star graphics, striped tape and unexpected detailing," like a new logo, the PVH-owned brand said. Recycled and lightweight fabrics were used to create the garments, which have moisture-wicking, water-repellent, compression and stretch properties.

• The line, which encompasses streetwear, performance wear and crossovers between the two, took cues from vintage designs in the brand's archive, Hilfiger himself said in the release.

Dive Insight:

Athleisure and athletic wear continue to perform well despite so many apparel players expanding into those categories.

Gap Inc., for example, which in recent quarters has shown strong performance in its women's Athleta banner and has expanded that brand to include girls, last year launched an activewear brand for men dubbed Hill City. Both brands will join Gap in a to-be-named corporate entity after the company spins off its Old Navy unit.

Last year activewear sales grew in the low single-digits, though they were mostly driven by an extra selling week, according to a report from The NPD Group. The men's and kids markets both grew, while women's declined, and the stand-out categories were premium outerwear, sweatshirts and activewear bottoms, with bras and socks continuing to decline, according to that report. While Adidas and Nike dominated, The North Face, Columbia and Patagonia also saw gains and Under Armour declined, NPD said.

Competition is clearly heating up, but that shows there's some room for Tommy Sport to benefit from the ongoing enthusiasm for the category, especially with a look back to the 90s resonating again. "Active living has evolved into a way of life and changed the way we dress, with the next generations looking for designs that fit their on-the-go lifestyle," Hilfiger said in a statement. "Clothing needs to follow this trend and we are delivering on consumer expectations with TOMMY SPORT, which injects a cool and bold edge into performance."