Finally, Some Running Clothes I Want to Put On

And my interview with the Co-Founder of Literary Sport.

For those of you who don’t know, in my youth I (seriously) studied to become a classical dancer, ultimately at Washington Ballet where I spent 3 to 4 hours every afternoon throughout high school (which I attended part-time). Julie Kent, the former prima ballerina of ABT and now head of Washington Ballet was my age and at 18 I realized I was good, but not Julie Kent good. Long story short, I stopped dancing my senior year in high school, but it ingrained in me the need and discipline to exercise.

I started running, or really jogging, in my 20s and still try to get out 3 or 4 times a week. I am slow as molasses (truly, no mile under 10 minutes), but I still get my miles in; I was down to low 500s last year, compared to 600 two years ago. Getting older has started to kick in, and I give myself more grace these days and don’t push myself like I used to.

This is a long-winded explanation to set up why I have fallen in love with new exercise clothing brand, Literary Sport. I went to their presentation last September as did many other editors and fashion folk. I don’t think everyone connected with the brand like I did, especially after meeting the co-founder Deirdre Matthews. Literary Sport is the brand that has been missing from my sad exercise wardrobe.

Sarah Jessica Parker once said in an interview (which I couldn’t begin to tell you where I saw it, it’s so old), “I don’t look good to exercise, I exercise to look good.” It’s sort of always been my motto. But my clothes were becoming a way-past-their-prime, hodge-podge of mixed pieces that needed updating and I couldn’t find something I wanted to replace them with that didn’t have BIG logos, come in nauseating shades of cheap looking lavender or pink, or be associated with athletes far more competitive and professional than I so that if I wore their pieces, I’d feel like a (literal) running joke.

Literary Sport clothing comes in mostly black but also colors I would wear, materials that feel good, and teeny logos. It is perfect for the minimalist runner who likes quality. Instead buying bulk because they aren’t that kind of price point, I am slowly adding pieces and will wash them (gently) more often. I wear the Jorie quarter-zip as a top layer (still need another layer on top of that right now) and the Issa running tights are solid. I would even wear the Jorie on the weekend with jeans, but it might require a second designated for low impact/no sweat activities (Deirdre mixes her pieces with The Row, so….) Next up when the temps rise a bit, the Maya tank (love the mottled red and army green) and for running errands I’m into the Emi track pant and Adrienne jacket (good for a spring weather run, too). Of course, LS designs can be worn for all types of exercise, but running options have been so limited, this is why it spoke to me.

Here, Deirdre answers a few ?s.

Give us a quick career path up to the launch of LS of both you and your co-founder. I worked in fashion wholesale and distribution for 15 years, and a big part of that job was always looking for new and interesting brands. I loved the process of discovery, and it was an exciting time because the industry was changing so much with the proliferation of e-commerce and direct to consumer brands. I left the business for a few years when I had kids, and swore I’d never go back, but there’s a pull, and I really missed it.

My business partner M. Bechara and I met at our kid’s pre-school. We were both running a lot at the time, and we would often talk about running gear. He always wanted to start a running line but couldn’t find the time. Fast forward to 2022, post covid, we crossed paths on ‘March Break’ in California. We were swimming with our kids, and he just said, ‘I’m ready’. I think we were all still spiraling from Covid and at a crossroads in our respective professional lives and it seemed like the right time, and the right thing to do.

What made you want to launch LS? I don’t buy a lot of clothing because I have this rule that if I’m going to spend money on something, I must love it. Like change-my-day love it. But whenever I went looking for athletic clothing, my purchases never reflected this rule.

There’s a lot out there. It’s a crowded category, and I would look for running clothes and think it’s either too tech, too sexy, or too colorful. I wanted my workout wardrobe to feel clean and sophisticated and the reality was that I just ended up with a lot of black because that was the closest I could get, but I always felt like I was wearing someone else’s clothing.

I also felt like the language around most running gear was geared toward competition, and that never resonated with me. I want performance fabrics, but they also need to look and feel great. I’m quite active, but competition isn’t the end game for me. Running was always an escape, or something I did with friends, and now, a personal best is just getting out the door with both shoes laced up.

I will also say that Covid changed the way I think about exercise. I used to look at it as work, and sometimes I would dread it, but with two young kids underfoot, and all of us in the house together, I think running saved me in those days. I live in Toronto, and we were locked down for a long time. Those things became so intrinsically linked that I started to wear athletic clothing all day long in case I could get a quick run or a workout in. I wanted a capsule wardrobe that I could layer that would get me from my run to my meeting while still making me look like a serious person.

As a runner (slow jogger), we were discussing just how hard it is to find clothing that makes sense--designs that are logo free, functional, modern and not lavender or pink. What were the design imperatives that went into this first collection? I have an amazing design team where we all agreed, we had to see ourselves in it. That meant having a subdued color palette and clean design lines. It sounds straight forward, but tailoring technical fabric presents its own set of challenges, and we prototyped until each piece was perfect in both form and function. We also spent a lot of time choosing and testing fabric, and are working with French, Japanese and Italian mills. Our Design/Creative Director Jackie McKeown is a serious runner and a stylist, so the functionality on long runs is important to her, but as a stylist, the details were equally as important.

Who is the LS customer? It’s someone with a considered style, who wants their wardrobe to extend into their run. Someone who values quality over quantity and is always in search of that perfect piece to fill a gap. It’s the belief that the touch, feel, and fit of a garment can transform one’s mindset and enhance the experience of a run—and maybe even make you want to run in the first place. We also often find ourselves engaging with people in fashion, art, and literature (likely due to our team’s background), and while we’re certainly not limited to these communities, it feels like the brand resonates most strongly there.

What other activities were you considering people wear LS for? This collection is designed for all types of classes. I don’t run in the winter as much because I’m scared of ice, so I wear the tights and sports bra to classes. But also, last weekend, I wore a pair of Row cords, and our Anne merino wool long sleeve running tee out for dinner, and they looked great together. Going out for dinner is an activity, right?

What are your current go to pieces and what will you wear once it gets colder? I love our Coolmax/wool quarter zip, and will wear that to run but also skiing as a base layer. I’ve also been wearing it with jeans. Also our Howe sweatshirt is made with Japanese terry, and it’s so soft and cozy. It’s comfortable and the perfect shape, and I wear it with jeans, dress pants, and my favorite Charlotte pants from our fall collection.

Favorite place and time to run? It’s more practical for me to run in the morning, but my favorite time is at dusk, and I love running through the streets in the west end of Toronto.

Do you run when you travel? Only if I’m away for a week or more. If I’m traveling with a carry on, then no because there is no room. I need to figure that out. Running shoes take up so much space now!

Dream run. The Rockies or the Redwoods. I’d happily take either.

Other running/exercise accoutrements you swear by? I always have my AirPods and watch because I love listening to music when I run. If it’s summer, I’m wearing Beauty of Joseon sunscreen, and in the winter my skin gets dry so I put a few drops of F. Miller Face Oil on before I leave the house.

What are your hopes for LS? I have so many, and we’ve only just begun. Mostly, I’d love to continue fostering this niche and build a long-term space for us. We hope to partner with people, brands, and stores in unexpected ways to help get us there. The feedback we’ve received has been overwhelming, and we want to keep giving people what they want—elevated, purposefully minimal activewear with the highest quality fabrications.

Do you think looking pulled together in LS when I’m running will make me faster? Here’s hoping!

x

Jennifer

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