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Penshoppe is making movement stylish through their newest activewear line, Penshoppe PLAY.
When one thinks of “activewear”, the first images that may come to mind are pieces that are best reserved for a quick gym session, or a morning run. Think of a black dri-fit shirt that prioritizes function over aesthetics.
Although such design choices are understandable, Penshoppe Philippines is out to change that belief through their upcoming activewear line, Penshoppe Play. Similar to the growing trends in fitness, they believe that movement should be inclusive, rather than intimidating.
“Penshoppe Play is Penshoppe’s activewear line, and this is something that we’ve been cooking for quite a while,” Brandon Liu, Penshoppe Vice President, told The GAME during an exclusive media shoot.
Key to Penshoppe Play’s design language are the words “fun” and “accessibility”, according to Brandon, and upcoming pieces are meant to be wardrobe staples aside from being gym essentials.
“We’ve been doing a series of prototyping, but we wanted to make sure that we find the right fabrics, make sure it’s the right fit and really make sure that it’s accessible; to really align with the brand values of also being in style,” Brandon explained.
“So actually, for Penshoppe Play, what the collection is pushing for is movement in style, and it’s something that should be fun,” he continued. “Activewear shouldn’t be something very serious and difficult to get into.”
Work Easy, Play Hard
To highlight their vision for Play, Penshoppe has tapped Southeast Asian Games medalists Kira Ellis and Elijah Cole as their initial pair of ambassadors.
Kira, at 19, is one of the Philippines’ brightest young triathletes, winning two gold medals in the SEA Games last December along with three silvers. Elijah, meanwhile, completed his leap to redemption in the biennial meet, taking home the bronze medal to accompany EJ Obiena’s gold.
“Everything is very comfortable, you know? I don’t like anything that’s restricting or feels too tight, so this is very nice and loose, and just breathable. I think that’s what I enjoy,” Kira says of the upcoming collection.
Adds Elijah, “A lot of the clothing, it’s just super comfortable. It just feels natural, and natural is kind of like the whole theme for me. That’s really important for me; being on the pole vault runways and feeling natural, feeling like yourself, it’s kind of like a good mesh for me personally.”
For Brandon, the two athletes represent what Penshoppe Play brings to the table. In his view, what Play hopes to achieve is similar to the enjoyment that they feel in honing their craft.
“They’re extremely talented individuals, and I really have nothing but praise to say for these athletes. But more than that, we’re also looking at their personal sense of style,” Brandon says of Kira and Elijah.
“If you just look at them on Instagram or social media, you’re able to see that more than the performance that they bring, it’s also about them enjoying what they do, and that’s something that resonates really well with the collection, and their sense of personal style fits in well with the brand.”
So, what exactly can we expect from Penshoppe Play down the line? Although there is already a soft launch on their official stores, Brandon reiterates that it boils down to releasing “fun” and “accessible” activewear pieces.
As Brandon puts it, Penshoppe Play pieces can be worn “whether you’re going out for a coffee, going out for a quick jog or a walk, or if you have a more intense training regimen.”
“We see a lot of brands treat it in a more serious way, so even in the usage of colors, you’ll see in our upcoming collection that it is more aligned to what’s trending and aligned with the younger lifestyle also,” said Brandon.
“We did make sure that the workmanship, the fabrics that we put together is also something that you don’t have to worry about. Something that’s easy. We don’t want to be categorized as a performance wear brand, but really more as a lifestyle brand.”
Penshoppe PLAY’s first collection officially drops this March, which takes cues from what athletes wear before, after, or during training. In fact, no less than Brandon has tested out the collection, being someone that lives an active lifestyle himself.
“It’s exciting. I think that’s something we’ve seen in the market, that good quality activewear pieces doesn’t have to be expensive. And that’s why more than being stylish, we are also claiming that we are affordable and accessible and of good quality,” concluded Brandon, who takes up running, golf, and tennis in order to stay fit.
To shop the latest Penshoppe Play pieces, visit penshoppe.com or visit Penshoppe branches nationwide!
Images by Enzo Santos