‘WOMEN’S BODIES COME IN DIFFERENT SIZES – WE MAKE SURE ACTIVEWEAR DOES, TOO’
Camille Roegiers, 30, and Alexandra Vanthournout, 32, co-founders of activewear e-tailer Fashercise
C: For us, accepting and celebrating your body is not a gimmick – it’s a fundamental part of life. Our aim has always been to empower women by offering them clothing that makes them want to do something positive for themselves – whether that’s training for a marathon or going to a weekly exercise class. It’s never been a size thing – the benefits of working out go far beyond the aesthetic.
A: We see clothing as an extension of who you are
– and so important to maintaining a healthy body image. I didn’t see my personality reflected in any of the activewear in 2013, so I decided to seek out smaller, independent brands and the concept of Fashercise was born.
C: Whatever size you are, you should have access to clothes that make you feel confident.
So why does so much high street sports fashion still not reflect that? That’s what Fashercise is all about – challenging the uniform body type that you see on social media and offering options that look great on everyone to boost the body confidence of anyone who wears it.
A: No two women have the same body shape
– just look at Cam (who’s 5ft 8in and a size 10) and me (5ft 2in, size 14) – so we shoot our clothing on women of all sizes, which has caused quite a stir. My goal is for there to be a time when a woman’s body size is no longer a talking point. It’s taken me until my thirties to accept that you don’t have to look a certain way to be healthy. I’ve been working out for the past five years, but my body shape hasn’t changed – and that’s fine because I’m the fittest and strongest I’ve even been.
C: We also hold a regular #Girlsgonerunning run club for beginners and we’re about to launch yoga classes, too.
It’s about providing an environment in which women don’t have to worry about being judged; the emphasis is on celebrating being active together. If you focus solely on getting toned arms and a six-pack, you’re missing out on so many fitness opportunities.