ONLY Play

ONLY Play is the leisure and active-wear sub brand of the fast fashion giant, ONLY. It carries a range of product from lounge- to high quality performance wear. As of today the target audience is younger and more fashion- focused but during my years at this brand it offered different capsules: leisure, training & performance, yoga and running.

My work as a designer here was full of creative opportunities to design fun-loving and functional sportswear. I worked mainly with womenswear ( except for 2 seasons of designing menswear capsules ) including jersey, sweats, light jackets, training wear and running gear.

Sportswear has had an undeniable impact on all areas of fashion for decades now. The boundaries between gym and everyday life have blended into a new form of how we dress. Active wear is no longer just for the gym and sweatpants are also worn with high heels. Somehow with this new found enthusiasm for sportswear came not only the promotion of a healthy lifestyle but a shift towards body positivity. Being a part of this change gave me a great me a great deal of inspiration. It helped me to come up with endless ideas throughout the years..

The pictures and sketches below showcase my love for colour and prints and the exciting fusion of functional sportswear and streetwear. I enjoyed coming up with collections where styles could be mixed and matched together both in a commercial and in a daring, trendy way.

I was a key member of a small team and had full responsibility of my designs throughout the entire process. I researched trends and created design direction including shapes, colours, fabrics and prints. I collaborated with a graphic designer to bring my ideas to life. I worked together with suppliers to find the right fabrics, styles and match our target prices. I sketched the collection and presented it to buying and sales teams. During sample production I attended fit meetings and communicated with suppliers on a daily basis. Once each collection was finished I presented it to internal and external sales teams ( and sometimes to key costumers). I also took part in organising photoshoots, styling the outfits and making the catalogue. I really enjoyed having the ability to follow my designs throughout their lifecycle. It also gave me a deeper understanding of business and the costumer’s needs.