The ‘sportscore’ trend has made it acceptable to wear gym clothes long after a workout – even when socialising. Athlete Grace O’Rourke and erstwhile fashion PR Aoife Connolly duly pounced to create Grape & Gander, a startup styling itself as Ireland’s first luxury sportswear brand.

The Dublin business was formed in January 2015 and officially launched in July, selling a small collection of sleek sportswear online for between €45 and €95. Grace (27) describes the garb as having all the technology of workout gear, without compromising on style.

“With Grape & Gander, you can go for coffee with the girls after the gym session,” she adds. “You might not feel so fresh but at least you’re looking good.”

There are three items in the initial Grape & Gander collection: sleveless top €45, pants €75, and jacket €95. Made from Lycra, the garments are designed to be figure-hugging and flattering.

The jacket is described as follows: “The design of the top sculpts the female figure and the seamless sides create a streamline effect. No side seams means free movement and eliminates any friction during exercise. The fabric seams have been moved to the most flattering areas of the body creating a flattering effect on the eye. The block panelling on the top and jacket slims and flatters the female silhouette.”

In Association with

Made In Poland

Though Aoife (28) spent time working for designer Stella McCartney and Grace has experience in fitness instruction, the duo took nothing for granted. Once the idea took root, the business partners conducted research, visited tradeshows and went to Paris to look at fabrics before taking the entrepreneurial plunge.

According to Grace, the startup has received plenty of help from various business mentors and people in the industry, receiving guidance on everything from sourcing fabrics to manufacturers. Grape and Gander’s clothing is made from Meryl Lycra blend, a breathable and lightweight fabric.

The materials are sourced from the UK and the garments are made in Poland. “We’d love for everything to be Irish but we just don’t have the facilities here and the manufacture of sports fabric is quite technical,” Grace explains

To stand out, the colour scheme they’ve gone for is purple and mauve. Online marketing and social media are important channels for the company’s founders, and the startup is active on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. “It’s interesting to really get to know our demographic and who our customer is, as well as seeing why they’re paying attention to different things.”

Feedback

Launching with a small collection of garments was a deliberate strategy, Grace explains. “We wanted to be able to manage it, put it out there and then get the feedback. What we’ve learned from this collection we can apply to the next.” The second collection is due out in November and will feature six pieces.

The company is hoping to secure boutique stockists next year and a menswear line is also being considered. When it comes to startups, O’Rourke stresses the importance of always learning, and asking for help. “Run your own race and focus on what you want. It’s easy to get caught up in competition but that doesn’t allow you to focus on your own goals.”