Today, I’m super excited to reveal my brand spanking new-look blog – it needed a bit of sprucing up since there hadn’t been an outfit change since it was born! To kick things off, I thought there was no topic more appropriate than the eponymous new monochrome collection from Ivy Park, to match the minimal pared-back B&W aesthetic I went with for this blog! Unless you’ve been living under a stone (+ blindfolded + ear plugged), you may have missed that one of the most iconic hyperstars on the planet just launched her own collection in partnership with Topshop. Queen B, aka Beyoncé, has put pen to paper with Sir Philip Green’s retail powerhouse to design an extremely intelligent line of flattering and affordable performance wear, and I absolutely LOVE the result!
Disclosure: I am a fully-paid-up, all-singing-all-dancing Beyoncé fan-girl, BUT I think there is an important message to take from this collection, even for those few who aren’t fans. Ivy Park is an expansive (but not expensive) 220-piece collection of workout staples that takes its name from a combination of Beyoncé’s daughter’s middle name, and Parkwood Park in which she used to seek personal strength. To me, it’s somewhat of a cool and compelling mystery, with the ultra-stylised official website intentionally revealing few details on its 3 (three!) pages, and showcasing a beautifully produced video expressing the brand from its Creative Director herself. Invariably, I want more…
After reflecting on it for a while, the message that I take from it is that a) it’s fashion-led with innovative technical credentials, b) it’s a perfect embodiment of the casual-meets-active zeitgeist which is sweeping the globe right now, and c) the Strong Beyond Measure strap-line is one that I love, as it speaks of confident empowerment for all people of all fitness levels, as well as positive mental energy – both of which I see as crucial components of successfully achieving any fitness goals.
Make no mistake, fashionable activewear is a 100% bonafide source from which to draw inspiration; if you feel excited to workout because of your new look, then that’s one more session than you’d have otherwise done, and it’s no less valid than the more traditional sources of fitspo! Given that nearly 70m of us follow Beyoncé on Instagram, 65m more on Facebook, and 14m on Twitter, there’s a vast audience of people ready to draw their own inspiration from this collection, which makes me happy, as a healthy lifestyle change usually needs a trigger; for many, this might well be it!
I attended the launch at Topshop flagship store in Oxford Circus, London, where Sir Philip Green kicked off events. There were some epic demos from Syncopated Ladies’ performing to ‘Formation’ amongst other tracks. Immediately thereafter, I picked up a bunch of clothes (both Ivy Park and Topshop for my casual essentials!) for these outfits and headed out to Camden to shoot them!
The collection feels very much inspired by dance – the pieces can easily be layered in that slouched cool way only dancers can. It’s also a good way to regulate the right temperature – pre, during and after workout. The hoodies are impossibly soft. Most pieces are oversized which I love as it makes for maximum comfort. Further, I think much of the collection is equally at home outside of the gym, much as it is inside; style it with a pair of skinny jeans and killer heels for example! It’s already crashed most websites that retail it, but they’re all repaired, restocked and ready to go! I’ve linked my outfit to Topshop below in case you like anything you see
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I WAS WEARING:
Top: Corded ’04’ Sweatshirt by Ivy Park – HEREHoodie: Oversized Logo Hoodie in Grey, by Ivy Park – HERE
Leggings: Full Length Black Leggings by Ivy Park – HERE
Cap: Mesh Cap by Ivy Park – similar HERE
Bra: V-Back Mesh Insert Bra by Ivy Park – HERE _____________________________
