London-based premium running apparel brand Acid Running has launched its first range of gear engineered specifically for women.
Following the development of its menswear range, the new collection introduces a smaller silhouette across its established product lines, alongside all-new female-specific garments. The product range features 2-in-1 shorts, fitted running tanks, running jackets, t-shirts, running bras, and full-length leggings.
The brand’s aesthetic utilizes a cold colour palette, with the new collection available in colourways including Black, Heather, Riverstone, Phantom, and Falcon.
The company was founded in 2020 and fully launched in 2022 by Oliver Powe, following his tenure at luxury retailer The Active Kollection, where he worked to improve brand selection.
Oliver Powe, Founder of Acid Running, said “Although there were a large number of boutique cycling brands which were really strong, I felt there was very little I could do in the running category as the options were so limited. It was either outdated multi-national sportswear brands with no pull on fashion conscious runners, or merchandise brands that were selling heavy cotton t-shirts or sticky virgin polyester.”
The brand’s identity is built around an exploration of the mental and physical challenges of the sport, incorporating a split hare logo to mirror what it views as the duality of running.
Oliver Powe added “For us, even the most committed runner can be a reluctant runner. The idea that the runner is forced to accept that nothing great can be achieved without some form of suffering, for us is transgressive and exciting. It contradicts everything that our society and marketing tells us.”
The brand’s garments are designed with relaxed silhouettes to accommodate different body shapes and perform across varying workout intensities. The apparel features natural fibres chosen for odour-resistance and a soft hand feel.
Oliver Powe continued “We’re in no way advocates of masochistic running. For us, it is about controlled discomfort which enables us to manage life’s challenges and joys. It better equips us. More importantly, all runners know that the level of clarity, or transcendence, that can be achieved when the ego has been stripped away, is incomparable. It quickly dissipates, but if you can return to your loved ones with as much as 1% of this clarity, yours and their lives are vastly improved.”
The technical apparel lines are engineered to support short distances such as a slow 5km run all the way up to ultra-marathon distances, with a lifestyle crossover capability for post-run casual wear.
Powe added “Our fabrics have a buttery, soft hand feel and the presence of natural fibres ensures odour-resistance. You could effectively run in our t-shirts three or four times before you’d need to wash them. Fundamentally, the garments can perform on a slow 5km run all the way up to an ultra marathon distance. The added beauty, you don’t need to swap them out for your post run coffee or beer. A simple premise, but it requires tireless work to achieve.”
The collection is available through the brand’s online platform or via its pop-up retail store located at Borough Yards in Dirty Lane, London.
