A viral TikTok video from Bondi Beach has set off another social-media fashion debate: black activewear — long a staple of gym wardrobes — is being pushed aside in favor of colorful and neutral-toned sets among younger shoppers.
In a clip posted after a pilates class at a popular Bondi studio, TikToker Ellie Nicholls said she planned "to literally throw out all of my black activewear and start again" after noticing nearly everyone else wearing colors and lighter neutrals such as grey, brown and sage. "Literally no one was wearing black except for me and I looked like such a loser," she said in the video, which prompted thousands of comments and fuelled conversations across the platform about generational style shifts.
Viewers reacted along generational lines. Some TikTok users and commenters insisted black would always be chic and practical — one person wrote, "I cannot wear any colour other than black! I SWEAT TOO MUCH." Others warned against discarding wardrobes for a trend, urging sustainability and individuality. Some local back-and-forth followed, with users from Melbourne and Sydney staking out regional preferences.
Fashion professionals and retailers told a more measured story. Stylist Donny Galella said he still sees a strong presence of black activewear in Sydney's eastern suburbs and other studios. "Black is easy. When getting ready for the gym, black is easier to coordinate with clothes, shoes, socks, caps," he said, noting practical reasons such as hiding sweat stains and perceived slimming effects.
Retailers that track demand said color is gaining momentum but that black remains commercially dominant. Matilda Robertson, co-owner and CEO of activewear label Stax, said black pieces are still the company's bestsellers at every launch. "Black activewear will always be fashionable in my opinion," she said, while adding that pinks, purples and blues have been selling well as the weather warms. Robertson cited a recent sellout of a colorful "Bloom" collection and a restock of the "Peak Summer" line driven by demand for color.
Industry observers said the shift mirrors how social media accelerates cyclical fashion changes and amplifies the tastes of highly visible cohorts. TikTok has been credited with turning microtrends into mainstream conversation points — from socks and leggings to activewear palette choices — by broadcasting what influencers and "it-girl" communities are wearing to large audiences.
Design and merchandising strategies reflect that dual dynamic: maintaining perennial bestsellers while introducing seasonal colors to capture attention. "There will always be black activewear, but our community loves colour too, so we make sure to include it as often as we can," Robertson said. Some brands said they monitor studio and street trends in markets such as Bondi to adjust product mixes.
While social-media posts highlight a visible shift among certain groups, stylists and sellers say the broader market still embraces black for its versatility and practicality. The current pattern, they said, is less a wholesale replacement than an expansion of options: black remains a backbone of activewear assortments even as color and new neutrals gain traction.
Shoppers responding to the debate have drawn different conclusions — some plan to add colorful sets, others will stick with black, and others urged shoppers not to discard functional pieces for a fleeting moment on social media. For now, retailers appear to be catering to both impulses by keeping black in inventory while increasing color offerings tied to seasonal releases.