Stella joined forces with Adidas to design these vegan glow in the dark running gear.

Going for long runs during the lazy days of summer is one thing when the sun shines day and night (figuratively speaking). But what do you do if you’re a dedicated pavement pounder in the metro area when winter approaches and daylight dwindles? It is a pretty obvious idea that has never looked better. Targeted towards female runners, the range combines fashion, function, and practicality. Made from breathable polyester, the water-proof garments feature ruching, asymmetrical zippers, and a glow-in-the-dark leopard pattern to help make runners visible in the dark.

Stella McCartney commented on her new line of glow-in-the-darkness saying,  “Running is one of our most popular categories and for me to make it have its own point of view is really key. When you are running in an urban environment, you need to feel safe, when people can see you coming and stand out, especially in winter when it gets dark earlier…at the same time we used it on a leopard print, so it’s not so masculine and graphic.” {Stylelist}

With McCartney’s appointment, there is hope among the eco-conscious that she will try to work some environmentally friendly fabrics into her designs. {Ecouterre} Nike has already gotten their recycled PET fabrics out in the world of pro-sports by outfitting some of the World Cup teams. McCartney, as one of the most eco-friendly designers of renown, could help make these fabrics more ubiquitous by putting them into her designs for both athletes and souvenir-buying spectators. {TreeHugger} Either way, we look forward to seeing what Stella McCartney comes up with in 2 years time.

Additional reporting by Nicole Hulley

While they don’t always get the same level of fanfare as designer + fast fashion collaborations (think H&M or Target plus one of the gazillion designers they’ve worked with), designer athletic wear collections may be the new must have collaboration for designers.

Adidas seems poised to dominate the space. The Adidas Stella McCartney partnership is entering its 5th year; Y-3, the collection designed by Yohji Yamamoto may not be as daring as his runway pieces, but likely offers some financial stability while going through a much publicized bankruptcy. In short, designers get to continue being as creative or directional as they’d like on runways, while having more realistic (in terms of wearability and price) collections that pay the bills.

Read More {Nitrolicious}