Come time for the Paris Summer Olympics, Canada's women's beach volleyball team will be standing out in one-shoulder bikini tops.
The uniform, designed by Canadian active swimwear company Left on Friday, was unveiled on Tuesday on the company's website and social channels.
A design for athletes who need extra power to hit a killer volleyball shot might not seem all that unique. But when the swimwear company's co-founders, Laura Loh Ah Kee and Shannon Savage, went to the International Olympic Committee to get approval for the lawsuit, officials said no one-shoulder uniforms would be approved. He said he had never been asked to do so.
The women had to consult the IOC again to ensure there were no problems when the silhouette had to be adjusted to accommodate left-handed athletes. This is the third year Vancouver-based Left on Friday has partnered with the Canadian women's beach volleyball team to design and outfit the players' uniforms, bikinis and accessories. “It was a dream come true to support and collaborate with Volleyball Canada to design a uniform that not only improves and supports the performance of our elite athletes, but also looks great while competing,” said Law. Ah Kee said.
The seeds of this partnership happened rather haphazardly, shortly after two former Lululemon executives launched Left on Friday in 2018. Shanice Marcel, one of the players on the volleyball team, wore a Left on Friday suit that she bought herself. She approached a swimsuit manufacturer about becoming one of her additional sponsors.
For a newly established company, it was too early to think about sponsorship. However, they established a relationship with her by providing Marcel with a suit. Soon other players on the Canadian women's beach volleyball team were wearing Left On Her Friday products, and the company became a perfect fit for several styles. “We have always participated in product testing and worked with athletes to ensure that we resolve any issues they may have with the product,” Lo Ah Kee said.
So when Lululemon stopped sponsoring a beach volleyball team a few years ago, it was no surprise that Left on Friday stepped in to design the costumes. The company outfits about 40 athletes who wear a variety of sizes and have different measurements. Left on Friday swimsuits come in cup sizes up to DD+.
For the upcoming Olympics, Left on Friday has also created a team uniform with a short-sleeved cropped suntop that can be worn over a swim top for extra coverage. His uniform has three colors: maroon, white, and neon red. “We had two key priorities for him when working on the uniform,” said Savage, who oversees design and product. “It's important to deliver on the comfort promise, so athletes can focus fully on their performance. Second, we want them to stand out in the moments that matter.”
Left on Friday, whose name derives from the idea of setting off on a weekend of adventure on a Friday, features a signature Italian technical fabric made from nylon, polyester and 18% Lycra, giving the uniform compressibility, flexibility and Improved support.
Since its inception, swimwear has been the backbone of Left on Friday's product offering. Initially, swimsuits were made in small factories in Northern California. But as Left on Friday has grown, many of its core products are now manufactured in factories in Taiwan. Swimwear currently accounts for 90% of the company's revenue, which is in his eight figures.
But that could change as Left on Friday explores other lifestyle categories with more clothing options. In recent years, the company has made activewear such as leggings, cupro and linen button-down shirts, pants, and linen dresses, as well as fleece sweatshirts, sweatpants, jerseys, and shorts made from cotton fabrics milled in Los Angeles. We are making an announcement.
Since its inception, the Canadian company has relied on e-commerce to drive growth, with 80% of its sales coming from the U.S. and the rest from Canada. Several pop-up stores were held in Toronto and Vancouver. But that changes.
The swimwear company is about to take a big step by opening its first permanent store in the United States. The team is location scouting around Los Angeles, concentrating on the trendy seaside neighborhood of Venice. “We hope to have something done by this summer,” Lou Ah Kee said. “I check the city every day.”