Breaking Down Your Athleisure Starter Pack With Celebrity Stylist Ilaria Urbinati

Two years later, athleisure is still winning out the battle for our trend-hungry hearts. It’s an industry-wide movement that’s proven to be pretty profitable for retailers, whether they’re heavyweights in the sportswear sector or simply cashing in on its popularity. In its latest iteration, we’re seeing athletic brands align themselves with celebrities, models, and other folks who are known as much for their style as much as their fitness habits. Adidas has Kendall Jenner and Karlie Kloss, Nike has Bella Hadid, and Reebok has her sister Gigi. Now, the latter announced that it is welcoming Nina Dobrev into the family as the face of its partnership Les Mills. And already, you’re noticing how athleisure is beginning to play a more prominent role in the actress’s day-to-day fashion—as it has with all her fellow sportswear-aligned cohorts. That, in turn, keeps the athleisure flame burning bright in all of our wardrobes, at least when it comes to getting outfit inspiration from Hollywood’s most-photographed.

“[The Reebok partnership] is great for her street style,” Ilaria Urbinati, Dobrev’s longtime stylist, tells Glamour. “I’m obsessed with [athleisure]—this is such a cool collaboration because we get to incorporate these very sporty looks into her personal style, which I think really works well with her personality and her body type.”

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It’s not only a trend that’s incredibly practical, but it’s also accessible, both in terms of price point and style, according to stylist Urbinati. “It’s nice to see the high-end stuff on the runway, but then be able to buy it from Reebok." (Though most of these athletic brands go towards the luxury end of the retail spectrum too—be it Adidas x Alexander Wang or Reebok x Vetements.)

Dobrev is big on incorporating versatile fitness gear into her everyday outfits (as she herself explained to us). Luckily, athleisure has featured greatly on the runway and in the retail landscape more broadly, so Urbinati has a lot to play with. “Certain designers, like Alexander Wang, have been doing it well for a very long time; now, more high-end brands are jumping on board. It’s great news for us, because that means we get to be super comfortable.”

Ilaria Urbinati (center) with two of her clients, Nina Dobrev and James Marsden

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When it comes to silhouettes, leggings are a pretty good entry point into athleisure. “The high-waisted black pants are so easy, because it’s almost like putting on a pair of skinny jeans—except way more comfortable,” Urbinati adds. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to style, if you follow her go-to: “I don’t get into the prints as much—I tend to do a lot of black, black, black. My trainer says I look like a ninja.” What’s more, Urbinati sees leggings as a trend that “doesn’t leave anybody out,” since it’s shoppable at all different budgets and isn’t aimed at any one body type. It’s also a piece that transcends seasons. “Going into winter, I like starting to incorporate the beanies and flannels [with leggings].”

Once you have the high-waist leggings, Urbinati suggests building on your athleisure starter pack with a cropped hoodie—whether it’s in black or in “solid, punchier colors, like a bright blue or red,” she says. Then, add a black or white sneaker. “A few years ago, the sneaker really came back in—you’re seeing all the girls at Fashion Week wearing sneakers, and it’s such a godsend,” Urbinati explains.

Though Urbinati thinks there will eventually be a shift back toward the super-dressy, we’re in the clear for now—which means, more comfort for all. And don't doubt just how versatile clean white kicks can be: The stylist dressed Dobrev in an Emanuel Ungaro sweater-and-skirt ensemble and—you guessed it—Reebok sneakers for her big Reebok x Les Mills staycation in New York last week.