Varley and Maje Cocreate ’80s-Inspired Activewear Capsule
Women’s activewear brand Varley has teamed up with French ready-to-wear brand Maje for an activewear capsule collection that merges performance wear with fashion as the activewear market continues to gain traction.
Courtesy Photo
More from WWD
“We’ve dreamed up comfortable pieces that are both high-tech and fun,” the duo said in a joint statement. “We’ll take you back to the ’80s for a Flashdance vibe with a modern approach, creating a subtle balance between fashion and lifestyle. They’re perfect, whether you’re hitting the gym or throwing on an urban casual look.”
The 20-piece, co-branded collection, which comes adorned with the “M” and “V” letters, includes sports bras, leggings, sweat shirts, shorts, bodysuits and more in shades of violet, beige, black and leopard-print, building upon Varley’s technical sportswear expertise and Maje’s fashion background. The limited-edition collection includes an array of accessories, such as terry-cloth towels, socks, wrist bands, headbands and yoga mats.
Courtesy Photo
“We always want to challenge and elevate what we do as a brand,” said Lara Mead, who cofounded Varley in 2015 with husband Ben Mead and now serves as chief creative officer of the business. “When the opportunity came around to collaborate with Maje, it was the perfect moment to express ourselves in a different way.”
Judith Milgrom, founder and creative director of Maje, added: “I’ve been wanting to create an activewear collection for a while. Varley is a brand that I love and that I personally wear going to yoga classes. So, I decided to meet the founder and we both had an instant crush. For this reason, we decided to create this capsule together of highly technical pieces, yet fashionable.”
Courtesy Photo
The capsule collection, which launches today, can be found on us.maje.com and in select Maje stores. Apparel pieces come in sizes XS to L. Each piece in the collection ranges in price from $25 up to $395.
Meanwhile, Varley and Maje continue to grow. British brand Varley, which was founded in London, now has offices in Los Angeles as well. In late 2019, the brand received $5 million in funding from two of Europe’s most well-known business leaders: Ron Dennis and Anders Povlsen.
Maje, which is owned by French holding company SMCP, was created in 1998. As of 2020, the brand was sold in approximately 40 countries and had annual revenues of more than 336 million euros.
Courtesy Photo
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.