London running-apparel brand Acid Running has launched its first collection for women. Two-in-one shorts, jackets, running bras and leggings, catering to those who do the occasional five kilometres all the way up to marathon fans, have been designed specifically for women of all sizes, by an all-female team. “While the running scene is booming, the same issue still remains: the lack of an uncompromised, premium brand offering engineered products specifically for the female anatomy,” founder Oliver Powe tells Broadsheet.
“Most traditional athletic brands still operate on a ‘shrink-it-and-pink-it’ model, treating womenswear as a direct adaptation of a menswear block. This completely ignores the nuances of a woman’s silhouette, dynamic biomechanics, and distinct requirements for targeted support and adjustability.”
Instead of merely adapting the size of its men’s apparel to fit the smaller frames of women, Powe and his team have carefully engineered the range to suit the specific needs of female bodies. Meticulous seam placement in high-friction zones seeks to tamp down on chafing, waistbands are designed to stay in place without being too restrictive, and its moisture-wicking compression fabrics maintain their structure and comfort over long distances. “Every piece has been pushed to its limit to ensure that whether you are a size XS or XL, the garment delivers the exact same elite level of performance, comfort and structural support,” Powe says.
At the centre of the new collection is the High Impact Bra. It’s built around the natural biology of female bodies, and the fluctuations they experience throughout the menstrual cycle, as well as the physical changes they might go through when training for longer-distance runs. The bra’s straps and under-band width are both adjustable, and padded cups are removable depending on the level of support needed. “It offers elite-level encapsulation and bounce control while adapting with the runner, rather than forcing her body to adapt to the garment,” Powe says. Its streamlined design means it sits easily under T-shirts and running tanks.
Fabric is also key to Acid Running’s USP. Shift your thoughts from the plasticky sheen of polyester: in its T-shirts, long-sleeved shirts and tanks, it uses a BCI cotton and polyester blend, which is lightweight and quick-drying. The cotton absorbs some of the sweat into its fibre, meaning it’s less conducive for breeding odour-causing bacteria – perfect for those who like to combine their runs with a pint afterwards.
Powe (formerly a political consultant) founded Acid Running in 2020, after noticing a lack of running attire that both caters to the often-painful realities of running while also boasting fashion-forward, practical design. His approach to creating a range for women has been similarly balanced. “We launched this collection to dismantle that status quo and provide a high-performance alternative that instead celebrates the female athlete through meticulous engineering,” he says. “Our fundamental philosophy is that women’s running gear must be designed by female runners, for female runners.”
