ATHLEISURE meets LUXURY

THE CONCEPT

Back in 2013, as Michael Malik walked along the streets of Milan, he noticed how leggings were seen on women all around the city. If in a place like this, where people take great pride in dressing in the latest fashions, is filled with fashionable women in leggings, then what other possibilities lay ahead for such comfort clothing? Thus, the idea of a luxe-athleisure line was formed and Active Milano was born. The creation of a successful, luxury fashion line does not end with the design inspiration or the discovery of the perfect fabric, confidence and courage are needed. Throughout the process, Malik continued to be encouraged through the words of Nick Woodhouse, the President of Authentic Brands Group. Woodhouse’s methodology of the 3C’s: conviction, communication, and courage allowed Malik to push his idea to the next level. With the conviction of believing in himself and his idea of Active Milano, he reached out to many industry professionals, such as Ascend Performance, who helped develop a state of the art Nylon 6’6 and brought his dream to life. Through Malik’s courage to move forward with an athleisure line with never before seen fabric technology, Active Milano began.

THE STYLE

Active Milano is for the fashion forward woman looking to invest in pieces that will become a wardrobe staple whether jet setting around the world, on a jog in Central Park, or lounging at home. Unparalleled comfort is paired with high performance technology to keep you safe while doing what you love. Each of our pieces can be paired together for an all-around luxe look, or pair our staple leggings with your favorite blazer and accessories for a fresh take on streetwear styles. All Active Milano pieces are carefully designed with the highest quality in mind to make any woman feel confident in any situation their day throws at them.

THE TECHNOLOGY

ACTEEV:
With Active Milano comes the groundbreaking technology of ACTEEV from Ascend Performance Materials. With the patent-pending science of embedded zinc ions into the polymers of the fiber, viruses are killed upon contact creating an antimicrobial fabric never before seen. Unlike topic finishes, the zinc does not flake away allowing for long-lasting protection with unparalleled softness and performance. The benefits of this fabric include:

Odor resistant: destroys microbes that cause unpleasant smells.
Mildew resistant: designed to stop mildew growth to help extend the life of the application.
Sustainable: doesn’t require chemical coatings or water-intensive finishing.
Free from silver: won’t yellow or leach into the environment.
Washfast: textile fabrics remain protected after 50 washes.

Disclaimer: Acteev™ technology has been shown in laboratory tests to destroy Sars-Cov-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, and other pathogens including H1N1, Coronavirus 229e and gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, such as staphylococcus and e. coli. All data presented on this page comes from testing performed by independent third-party laboratories following the protocols of ISO, astm or other international standards organizations. Not all claims are permitted in all jurisdictions, including in the united states. Some device designs currently under review with the U.S. food and drug administration — submission number K201714. Ascend has more than 15 patent families pending on Acteev technology.

MEET THE MAN BEHIND THE BRAND

Michael Malik, a Houston native, has over 25 years of fashion industry experience including retail, design, manufacturing & production, sourcing, and quality assurance. He currently serves as the Director of Global Quality at Brooks Brothers, which has allowed him to become an expert in garment and textile quality. He also holds the position of Adjunct faculty at Fashion Institute of Technology, where he teaches a course on Fabric Science.

Malik previously designed and launched his own men’s fashion forward collection under the M2M label, which sold in over 100 stores across the U.S. He has also opened several successful high-end boutiques, including M2M Fashion, Lab 5 Fashion, Style Lounge, and Jeans Couture, all of which created unique shopping experiences for men and women. While pivoting to the retail world and eventually corporate work, Malik realized he needed to return to his true passion of designing, which led to the creation of Active Milano.