Our ever-expanding list of Black-owned businesses has no shortage of fashion and fitness brands — but these standout 24 Black-owned brands are expertly combining fashion with fitness, making some of the coolest activewear on the market. So whether you’re looking for bike shorts to wear on your Peloton (or Peloton dupe), running shorts for your next 5K, or a sweat-wicking T-shirt for hitting the gym (may we suggest these 14 Black-owned fitness studios, while we’re at it?), these companies have you covered.
JoJa
Model Jasmine Tookes is a cofounder of JoJa, which makes workout gear that can easily go from the gym to brunch and then back again. Its latest collection, Gymnasium, is a series of workout sets, all of which are crafted from a shaping fabric designed to hold you in.
Spiked Wellness
Spiked Wellness — best known for its high-energy spin classes at its studio in Bed-Stuy — also makes activewear that would look good both on and off the bike. There’s lots to choose from: pastel-colored lounge sets, oversize shirts with cheeky slogans, and unitards. These nylon tricot bike shorts look pretty standard, but say “Body” on the back in bold white letters.
Ruby Love
After helping her daughter navigate her first period, Crystal Etienne was inspired to find better alternatives to tampons and pads, and thus Ruby Love was born. The company makes leakproof underwear, swimwear, and even activewear, all of which have a built-in liner so you don’t need to wear a tampon, menstrual cup, or pad. The line currently features bodysuits you could wear to a dance class and leggings for all types of movement.
Full Court Sport
Marguerite Wade launched Full Court Sport in 2014 as an alternative to some of the dull options available in women’s tennis gear. In addition to moisture-wicking leggings and bike shorts, complete with a back pocket for tennis balls, there are tennis skirts, dresses, and brightly colored windbreakers to buy directly from Full Court Sport and from its exclusive collection with Net-a-Porter.
PYNRS
As an extension of his running club, Pioneers Run Crew, Sid Baptista launched PYNRS, a streetwear-inspired technical-running-apparel line designed to support diverse body types. The shorts, leggings, and joggers are all cut for thicker thighs and curvier hips. The brand makes men’s and women’s clothing in addition to a few unisex offerings, like this running T-shirt, crafted from regenerated nylon, which offers UV protection and sweat-wicking tech to make your run more comfortable.
Arrow + Phoenix
Arrow + Phoenix is known for its swim collection, but it also has a small activewear line with two different leggings and a sports bra. The Sweat line still aligns with the brand’s ethos of being sustainable and inclusive: The leggings are made from recycled material, and everything is available in sizes XS to 3XL. They also come in six different colors, including classic black and a vibrant hot pink.
Roam Loud
When she founded activewear line Roam Loud, Toyin Omisore sought to honor her Liberian grandmother’s legacy by capturing her bold spirit. The brand includes pieces for all types of activities — from high-waisted leggings for high-intensity workouts to relaxed-fit joggers (in a definitely bold lime-green print) for not-so-sweaty exercise or just hanging out.
Solely Fit
After years as a reporter, Stefania Okolie took her storytelling skills and interest in design to create Solely Fit, an activewear brand designed to give women functional athleticwear that’s stylish, too. This unitard comes in a punchy crimson and has a heart cutout in the back.
Zoezi Sport
Kenyan-born Yvonne Bulimo couldn’t find any athleticwear brands she connected with while living in Kenya — so she started her own. Zoezi Sport, which means exercise in Swahili, honors her Kenyan heritage. The line is meant to withstand workouts, but it looks really lounge-worthy, too.
Farever Art
Artist and barre instructor Faren Collins combined two of her interests by putting her artwork onto athleticwear. She also sells “museum-quality” posters of the designs that are blown up onto her leggings, jackets, and sports bras — so, in other words, you can buy prints for your wall to match your wardrobe.
Lukafit
Lukafit’s founder Mbali Ndlovu started the brand to give women of color in all sizes — her clothes go up to 3X in leggings and 2X in sports bras — athleticwear that’s designed for them. Her leggings have bright colors with cheeky prints and are made from “squat-proof” material, so they’re not sheer and stay in place no matter what moves you do
Glamourina
A lack of representation in other brands inspired Kia Phillips and Nekol Gaskins to start athleisure label Glamourina. Their collection of leggings, sports bras, and reversible warm-up jackets — all of which go up to size 3X —sell out quickly, so act fast if you see something you need to have.
Unilove by Chloe and Maud
Professional tap dancers Chloe and Maud Arnold created functional yet stylish pieces for dancing and working out (though many of the separates look comfy enough to relax in, too). This dance-appropriate unitard also comes in a bright blue, and while it’s one-size-fits-most, it appears to be made from extremely stretchy material.
Damihow
U.K.-based Damihow designs modern and minimalist performancewear. For women, there are sleek bike shorts, leggings, sports bras, tops, and warm-up jackets in half a dozen colors. The men’s offerings are a bit more limited — there’s popular joggers, quarter-zip pullovers, and moisture-wicking T-shirts — but the brand says an expanded men’s collection is coming soon.
Queen Malkia
Queen Malkia features bold, African prints on sports bra and legging sets made from four-way stretch, anti-bacterial fabric with sublimated prints, so the print won’t crack or fade. And each sports bra has different strap details to add a unique element to your set.
EleVen by Venus Williams
Founded by pro-tennis player Venus Williams, EleVen has everything from comfortable loungewear to proper tennis outfits to sunscreen. Most of her athleticwear features four-way stretch material, so it won’t lose shape over time, and a pro-dry technology that allows the material to dry as fast as possible and give additional breathability. She’s the latest designer to hop on the pickleball trend. The brand’s dedicated collection includes breathable tank tops, flouncy skirts, and minidresses so you can move with ease.
Impano Sports
Two professional athletes founded Impano Sports to produce the kind of athletic gear they wanted to wear. The pieces — which are manufactured in Africa — are made with moisture-wicking and lightweight materials. Their new Eco-Pano material offers the same technology, but it’s produced with recycled plastic bottles for an eco-friendly element.
Yema
Yema features bright-colored and patterned tracksuits and performancewear for men and women. Both founders, Yema Khalif and Hawi Awash, were refugees, and they dedicate 20 percent of all purchases to their scholarship fund that helps refugee students in Ethiopia and Kenya get a proper education.
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