SPOTLIGHT ON STEVEN JESS - LES MILLS CLOTHING RANGE DESIGNER
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Les Mills Clothing Ltd ('Les Mills') has appointed top international sportswear designer Steven Jess to create the eagerly anticipated new LES MILLS™ clothing range. Steven, who joined forces with our Program Directors when designing the exciting new line, shares his vision for the Tribal Tech range and his journey with us so far.
How have you found working on the new Les Mills Clothing range?
We kicked off the project in March 2009 and it's been an awesome experience. The brand and community was inspiring right from the start. Phillip and Jackie are great people and Les Mills' story sparks innovation.
I've also enjoyed the challenge of creating a clothing line for an extensive brand architecture. Since each of the programs has such a unique essence, crafting the visual tone for each of these collections was really important.
I had the opportunity to meet with the Program Directors when we started the project and attend some of their classes. |
At the end of the day, the Program Directors are experts in their respective programs and they had great ideas on how to make the designs even better every step of the way. Getting their feedback was similar to getting feedback from Nike pro athletes.
How would you describe the new range?
Overall, the new line is all about performance style. Each collection delivers ultimate performance at the gym and looks great even beyond.
How does it reflect Les Mills' brand values?
Les Mills' brand values are at the heart of the new line: World-class, Be Brave, One Tribe.
The design theme is Tribal Tech. This is the overarching visual tone that you can see throughout the whole line. It's about bold, world-class, technical construction on every piece of apparel. For each program, the graphics, program icons and color stories are unique.
How did you find inspiration for each program's unique essence and requirements?
Meeting with and interviewing the Program Directors were the first step to gathering inspiration. Since the essences were defined and differentiated for each program, I had a great starting point. Watching what people wear in each of the classes also provided great insight into what each program requires.
What can you tell us about the clothing in terms of performance and technical requirements?
Overall, the line is designed for performance and comfort throughout your workout. We've selected moisture wicking fabrics and used strategic seaming and construction for superior comfort and fit. For each program, we've implemented fabrics and silhouettes that are specific to the technical requirements and style for that program.
Tell us a bit about your background.
I grew up running track and field, in the same town Steve Prefontaine was from. (Prefontaine once held the American record in the seven distance track events from the 2,000 meters to the 10,000 meters in the 1970s). He was the first Nike-sponsored athlete and it only made sense that I ended up working for Nike for eight years.
What are the highlights of your career?
As a cyclist myself, meeting Lance Armstrong at Nike was awesome. But even that experience was eclipsed by the moment I shook Muhammad Ali's hand after presenting the line I had designed for him at Adidas.
Early on in my career at Nike, I worked in the running category and one of my most memorable international trips was to Kenya, Africa, where I met with the Olympic running team. I watched them train and got their input on the apparel I'd designed for them. The whole experience was eye-opening. Seeing the poverty there and the young athletes that might overcome it because of their commitment to sport was inspiring. Meeting two-time Olympic gold medalist Kip Keino was beyond amazing.
Of course, having designed hundreds of pieces of apparel over the years, I get a lot of personal satisfaction in seeing them frequently on everyday people and celebrities alike.
