Last Friday, I had time to stop by The London Sports Show at the Truman Brewery in Shoreditch. I didn’t know much about it before I arrived, other than new brands would be featured, as well as free fitness classes and panel discussions. There were about 10 brands on display (all new names to me), each with a small collection of items available for purchase. The thing I found most interesting was that most of the brands had the founders there, meaning I could talk to them directly about their passion projects and what inspired them to take the leap into entrepreneurship. Many still worked full-time while trying to build their brand in their free time. I told them I could totally relate!
Here are a few of the brands that I was able to learn more about. For a list of all of the brands that took part, click here. I should add that I am by no means a fashion person. I will always go for function over fashion when it comes to clothes. But if I look good in it too, it is an added bonus!
First off, it was fabulous to run into former London blogger, Babs, at the event. Turns out, she has been creating a new fashion brand since I saw her ages ago. Adinkra Yoga offers comfy cotton shorts and pants in beautiful West African prints. With an elastic waistband, this kit is versatile enough to be worn at yoga and summer festivals.
Form yoga mats really caught my eye. Heidi and Toby co-founded this carbon-neutral brand. The yoga mats have gorgeous designs with geometric patterns to ensure you are in the proper position. The mats are made of 100% recycled rubber and come in a rectangle or circular shape. You can also throw the mats in the washing machine, which I think is the best thing ever.
One piece of kit that caught my eye was the Be Brave Be Bold tank from Boudavida. This brand offers a range of sizes from 8-18, with a design ethos of flattering cuts for all body shapes giving women the confidence they need to be active. Using technical fabric, there is something for just about everyone in their collection. They also donate 5% of sales to projects that support womens sport or individual female athletes.
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| One of the free classes |
MYSPORTLONDON had bold primary colours in smooth technical fabrics for men and women. Lots of thought went into each design. For example, the leggings don’t have a seam over the IT Band, which helps prevent irritation. The high waist can be worn up or folded down, depending on what activity you are doing. The technical leggings have a gusset, reflective detail on the front and back, as well as a zippered pocket to store your essentials.
Italian fabrics help create the Yummy Yoga Girl‘s legging collection. Her tops have unique shapes, with cut out shoulders and backs. All pieces are really affordably priced too. Her website has several free yoga videos, so you should definitely take a look if you want to work on your practice in your own time.
Last, but not least is Refill. Vlad was the first brand owner I met and was very passionate about his product (it was his first time at a show). Refill is a double-insulated steel water bottle with a copper lining to help preserve the temperature (hot or cold) of your beverage. It comes with a regular cap, as well as a sports lid with straw, so that you can keep your bottle in hand no mater what activity you are taking part in. Refill advocates a ‘refill’ lifestyle, where you take time to rest and recharge. Cutting down on plastic use is a big thing right now, so we have one bottle in ‘pure black’ for you to win! Details below!
Did you make it to the pop up? Which brands did you love?
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