Fashion designer Thomas Rath is against a ban on sweatpants in schools. "Fashion and the way we dress underlines our personality and is a reflection of our emotions," Rath told the German Press Agency yesterday. He advocates a dress code for a well-groomed appearance, but jogging pants can also look well-groomed.

Most recently, a ban on jogging pants at a school in Wermelskirchen near Remscheid made waves. The school said on Wednesday that it wanted to maintain the dress code "despite criticism in the media". The pupils should be encouraged to wear clothes that do not tempt them to "chill out". The school also said that it was important to move away from jogging pants in order to prepare for professional life.

The 56-year-old Rath cannot support the quote attributed to Karl Lagerfeld: "Anyone who wears sweatpants has lost control of their life". "The years of fashion dictates are, thank God, over and we can dress individually," said Rath. "There are wonderful sleek alternatives that are comfortable on the couch as well as on the street and look good."

The acceptance of jogging pants has increased significantly, "also due to the great influence of streetwear in our everyday life, which is important and keeps us young. We all don't want to look like our grandparents."