Lornah Kiplagat was born in 1974, in a small village on the outskirts of the Rift Valley in Kenya. She is considered one of the best athletes in the world both on the track and on the road. Opportunities for women were very limited when Lornah was growing up – they were expected to remain home and raise children – however from a young age Lornah displayed the more courageous and ambitious facets of her character. These would later become her racing signature as Lornah was never afraid to lead from the front and take on any opponents. This fearless running style contributed to her nickname ‘Simba’ (Swahili for lion) which is a key motif in the Lornah Sports brand. She continued her trailblazing approach both on and off the track, creating the Lornah Kiplagat foundation (dedicated to give Kenyan girls a fair chance in education), building a High Altitude Training Centre in Iten, and constructing the first ever privately funded synthetic running track in Iten, Kenya, while continuing to compete at an elite level.
Her latest venture https://www.lornahsports.co.uk/ is as courageous and inspired as one has come to expect from Lornah Kiplagat. By designing her own range of sportswear she will compete in a crowded marketplace against huge household names. So what makes the Lornah brand stand out? If you’ve seen the collection you will already know the answer! If not I highly suggest that you take a look at the website via the link above. The Lornah Sports collection is vibrant, colourful and distinctive. Lornah has taken elements from her Kenyan upbringing such as animal print, bright patterns, and components of the Kenyan flag and juxtaposed them with modern fabrics and colours for a truly unique, beautiful collection. The Lornah Sports range is both practical and pretty.
Lornah Sports has also recruited a ‘Pride’ of athletes to be ambassadors for the brand – Racheal Bamford, Megan Edwards, Jemma Simpson, Gemma Hillier and Jenna Hill. Like Lornah, they embody a brave spirit and approach to racing, and I’m sure we will be seeing them on numerous podiums this season. Already this year, Rachael has won the Westminster Mile and as I type this blog Megan has run a personal best. I have a feeling #ThePride will have a lot to be proud of over the coming months.
However Lornah Sports is not just about supporting a select group of elite athletes – it is much more than that. In the same way that Lornah wanted to improve the livelihood of all young girls growing up in Kenya, she wants to inspire ALL women with her collection. From elites to dedicated club runners, from gym goers to those just getting back to fitness, ‘The Pride’ is a group for all women of all abilities. Lornah Sports wants everyone who buys their clothing to belong to their troop. This is clear from their social media sites which fuse stories about race results, PBs and the training of their brand ambassadors with accounts from happy customers. Lornah Sports is a clothing brand designed by a woman, for women, and this is clear from the styling, fit and detailing encompassed in the collection. And for any men out there reading this – I did hear a rumour that they might be adding a men’s collection next season!
There is a lot of research out there about increasing female participation in physical activity and they mostly agree on a number of themes:
• Start young – introduce young girls to varied opportunities for physical activity.
• Have similar expectations for young girls and boys.
• Make time for exercise.
• Be creative and keep physical activity interesting.
• Make physical activity an integral part of women’s lives by building a community around the sport/activity.
Lornah Kiplagat herself and the Lornah Sports brand can be leaders in this regard. Sixteen years ago Lornah understood the need for opportunities for Kenyan girls and set about doing something for them. Now in 2015, her brand will attempt to empower all women, across all levels of health and fitness. The brand has woven many of the above themes through its collection. The designs are not running specific; they are suitable for a wide variety of physical activity pursuits. The collection is creative and very appealing to the eye. And, most importantly in my opinion, through #ThePride Lornah Sports are trying to create a community of physically active women who can link up and support each other via social media.
Lornah’s inspirational story encompasses bravery, willpower, dedication, hard work, courage and a passion for change. Lornah Sports is a beautiful, well-crafted expression of Lornah’s refusal to conform to the norm, lead from the front and embrace female empowerment.
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