The British do a lot of things well. We drink copious amounts of tea, have the ability to make endless conversation about the weather, and design awesome active-wear! Elle Young takes a look at the British sports brands making it even easier to be hip whilst getting healthy.

Lexie Sport
Lexie is the British sportswear brand for women who are on-track and on-trend. Their fresh, edgy and smart designs are super stylish and claim to enhance performance. Want to love them a little bit more? Not only do they design stylish sportswear for rain-loving healthies in the UK, but they have committed to British manufacturing which boosts our economy as well as our mood! Founder Lily Rice explains: “We decided to make the move to British manufacturing as we wanted to really feel the quality in the styles. Having the product made here means not only will the quality and fit be of the highest standards but that as a brand we are making responsible decisions.” Sounds good to me! See more here.

Gymluxe
British through and through, Gymluxe specialise in streamlined designs which are perfect for layering, and we all know layering looks great and flatters all shapes. But do you know why they’re so awesome? They take their inspiration from women’s strength, style and individuality, which is music to my ears because I continue to be amazed by women’s resilience and determination. If you’re a multi-tasking kind of girl, as most of us are, you’ll love that their pre/post workout wear looks just as stylish over jeans so you can look great both in and out of the gym. I’m loving the Luxe Box Sweat, £49.99 from gymluxe.com

Hey Jo
London-based brand Hey Jo’s leggings guarantee that you’ll look ultra glamorous in the gym with their colourful leggings. Not only will they take you seamlessly from a workout to work-life situation but they also perform excellently as well. The ones with a gold zip are our faves! I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure these would make the perfect accompaniment to a white blouse and some ballet pumps for the summer too! Visit hey-jo.co/store to see their range of colours.

HPE
Do you like your workout gear to be high-tech, functional and elegant? Look no further. HPE has been designed by Nick Harris, who has worked with a variety of clients such as Formula One drivers and tennis players, to accelerate peak performance. He’s combined his experience, and knowledge, with sportswear design to produce garments that are engineered to withstand the rigours of intense training, look good and be comfortable.

Pepper & Mayne
Pepper & Mayne launched last year and pride themselves on the ‘combination of quintessentially English design values and a ‘Parisian Chic’ sensibility’. Their designs are based on the elegance of ballet and are made from super-soft fabrics. If you’re looking for glamorous yet wearable designs that are perfect for dance classes or chilling out, I suggest you get down to Pepper & Mayne. They stress that the feel of each item has been given great attention, which I really like. When something feels luxurious, it makes you feel luxurious which is what we all deserve. Check out pepperandmayne.com for inspiration and to meet the brand ambassadors, including our very own ballerina Saskia!

Striders Edge
Founded by Katy Biddulph, a sports enthusiast, outdoors lover and former SweatyBetty sports clothing designer, Striders Edge covers all bases. Their clothes are designed to ‘dress the fitness lover, run enthusiast, and avid hiker’ as well as all yoga and Pilates bunnies. The brand’s ethos is extremely Hip & Healthy in its ‘need and desire for authoritative, innovative and statement performance activewear’. Don’t you just love the word authoritative? I do. What I love more is the rationale behind the decision to name the brand after Striding Edge in the Lake District: ‘We didn’t want to be another women’s brand with a tongue in cheek name, we want to empower and celebrate women who do sport.’ See more from this empowering brand in the Hip & Healthy store.