Art & Design blog

For our debut Art & Design blog article, we filmed a video interview with Lily Rice, founder of Lexie Sport.  A transcript of the interview is also available, beneath the video.

“In terms of the fashion and the look, we really focus on a geometric, Art Deco look. The origins of women’s sportswear really started around that period and the lines are something that aren’t
generally seen in sportswear so it really separates us from the competition.

I think my favourite pieces in the collection are probably the Mae vest and the Veronica short. I really like the silver panel and I think metallics is going to be something that’s fed through future collections. The detailing on the vest at the back is something I’m really keen on as well. It’s the surprising details, I think, make us really different.

The fabrics we use are mostly really soft, stretchy fabrics. We’ve got lycras, but we’ve also got a lot of viscose as well so they’re very breathable. Layering is something that I personally love, so by using the really light fabrics it makes layering really easy.

Designing performance sportswear adds an extra element to design in terms of thinking about ergonomics as well as aesthetics. You have to be really careful that the visual performance doesn’t overtake the performance of the garments; so seam placement, garment lengths… and one of the things we really concentrate on is the waistband on the shorts and trousers – so it’s angled, and really designed for a woman’s hips, rather than the straight cut of a man.

We just secured our first stockists, which is really exciting. We’re going to be working with Young British Designers which is an online site. We’ve also taken part in a BBC show, so that was a great experience and something that’s really going to help the brand.

It’s very important to me that as a younger-target audience brand, we’re feeding a good message – and that can be from the models we use, to the locations and the sports we portray. And I’m hoping that as well as changing women’s wardrobes, it will encourage a lot more women to get involved in sport – those that have been put off by really clingy, stretchy, pink sportswear might be a bit more keen now.”