Photographed by Mous Lamrabat.
Being Sustainably responsible in 2019 now means making some changes with how designers are choosing their resources. The female founders behind [42|54](https://www.4254sport.com) and long time friends Elodie Ouedraogo and Olivia Borlee are both Belgian Gold metal athletes, and now business partners who strongly believe in that type of fashionably responsible involvement.
It took them two a clean 42.54 seconds to win a Silver Medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008. That Silver medal turned into Gold, when the winning team was disqualified due to a failed drug test. It was abundantly clear that dirty athletes have no place in sports. That’s when the Gold medalists decided they wanted to make a change. “Clean athletes should also wear clean clothes!” The contemporary active label launched its first 100% sustainable FW19 capsule collection made of plastic bottles and recycled ocean waste. They believe that great design should also be sustainable. The brand teamed up with renowned textile companies who propose fabrics made from a fiber called SEAQUAL and NEWLIFE recycled from ocean plastics to create the new high-end "made from waste" active wear line that asserts the modern streetwear appeal.
The founders make a conscious effort to be an honest and transparent brand, by largely working with local manufacturers and suppliers. Elodie and Olivia’s next steps will also be 100% sustainable using organic yarns working with GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards) certified factories, hang tags produced with recycled paper along with recycled fabrics developed with fibers using the oceans waste and plastic bottles. They both are devoted to giving a second life to stock and leftover fabrics from previous productions along with biodegradable packaging. The The fashion-forward duo provide advanced functionality while calling themselves a "100% sustainable company in the way we work, produce, and live."
Photographed by Mous Lamrabat.
**What was your biggest fear about starting your own line?**
We believe there are a lot of similarities between the world of sports and fashion. It is about being fearless, following the process put in place while listening to your gut feeling at the same time to achieve the absolute best. It is about taking a leap of faith in yourself, your partner and your idea.
For us creating an activewear collection that was high-end, transcendent and made in honest and transparent conditions Felt like a void that needed to be filled within our community. There was a clear vision, which was bring some fun and fashion back into the world of sports without ignoring the functional and technical side of the garments.
When we decided to launch 42|54, a reference to our winning time during the 2008 Olympics, we didn't really think about it as we both love a great challenge. We just jumped, head first.
There was a lack of experience. (We had both been guest designers for other brands, but came quickly to the realization that this doesn't even come close to owning and managing a brand.) With that lack of real experience sometimes came also the fear of not being taken seriously.
In the beginning we went probably over prepared into ever meeting we had. Not only out of respect for the person sitting in front of us, but also because we wanted to show that we were serious about entrepreneurship.
That we understood that there are no shortcuts to success
Initially we also didn't communicate a lot about our backstory either. We didn't want to be perceived as two women who were the faces of the brand, while having an entire team waiting in the back to do the real and hard work.
From the beginning we sourced every fabric, button, zipper, label or elastic band you'll find in our collection. Through (sometimes) expensive mistakes and failure we learned a lot. And today we are an authentic brand and a viable business because of it.
**Aside from the activewear, what other sustainable efforts are being practiced within your company?**
42|54 has always been mindful of how and where we produce. After having represented our country in the best way possible in sports it only seemed logical to carry out the strong identity and values that Belgium has created with 'The Antwerp Six' in the world of fashion.
We worked a lot with local suppliers. This put our brand already at a 50% of sustainability, solely based on the business decisions we made from the very beginning.
Last year we were able to evolve in our sustainable journey by replacing already locally created fabrics by sustainable ones. We also adapted our online service by working with Repack. Repack is a company that offers reusable bags. For every bag clients return to us after their purchase, they receive a small discount. We on the other hand can recover the packaging for a new customer. Additionally we switched to biodegradable labels, we don't use plastic bottles in the office and work with a cleaning company that only uses natural and biological cleaning products.
All the employees who live in Brussels, where we are based, walk or take their bike to work.
**What was the moment or person that inspired you to produce your own line?**
We have always looked up to and been inspired by strong female athletes and more so in the 80's and 90's.
These were absolute fun times where athletes didn't only stand out with their extraordinary performances, but also by the way the dressed on the field.
Women like Florence Griffith and Jackie Joyner-Kersee wore leotards, belted bodysuits, one-legged and lace leggings.
They highlighted their personalities with exciting, daring activewear.
But of course we don't have to look too far. We are surrounded by strong women. Our mothers, sisters, friends and colleagues. 42I54 is built by women, who work very hard every day to create the best possible collection for women.
Our sustainable mission on the other hand comes from a very personal experience.
We initially won a silver medal during the Olympic Games in 2008. Eight years later that silver eventually turned into gold when that winning team was disqualified due to substance abuse discovered during a large series of retesting.
This had a major impact on the on athletes worldwide.
And while many of us became strong advocates for clean, drug free sports we are less outspoken when it comes to clothes we wear while performing. We felt this too has to change.
Clean athletes should also wear clean clothes.
Sportswear made in honest conditions and without the environmental strain it has today. We can no longer only applaud recognition and financial gain while wearing our low cost shirts. Because someone, somewhere is suffering because of it.
Photographed by Mous Lamrabat.
**Just for fun, what are your zodiac signs?**
Aries and Pisces
**What are you wanting to accomplish in 2020 with 42|54?**
It has always been our goal to become the brand that serves as today’s personal survival-kit and Wonder Woman cape all wrapped into one fashion-forward label for all women.
42|54 is for the young women we help through our 'Athlete Ambassador Program'. By supporting them with well made performance gear, we support their dreams of one day becoming professional athletes.
Often big brands want to see results first and will later support in anyway possible. We believe talent need’s to be nurtured when personal budgets are insignificant or non-existent. Today we are proud to announce that 3 women from our ambassadors program will participate in next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games.
We are most definitely also the go-to brand for women who like to have something that is different. Today many women try and balance a career, family and personal time. Finding an outfit that accommodates that lifestyle can be quite the search. The idea to have a legging that has the advanced functionality you'd expect from activewear, yet the high-end look and feel that makes it chic enough to wear outside the gym is very appealing to a lot of women. A winning combination we can offer to our women as we can pull from our own experience and expertise. On top of the need to be unique or different, women want to be informed on what they are putting both in and on their bodies today.
Furthermore we would like to continue to develop our sustainable journey and dress as many great women in the US as we possibly can.
We had the opportunity to visit LA recently and it is inspiring to see how a city has succeeded into merging sports into the everyday life. It embodies the definition of an 'active lifestyle'.
**What were your childhood ambitions?**
Elodie: I always wanted to be a hairdresser or own my own cafe. That was until I realized that being a bar owner entails more than just serving great coffee.
Olivia: I wanted to be a florist. I think I have always been inspired by beauty and making beautiful things.
**In what place are you the happiest? Most productive?**
The school of Sports is a great one to graduate from.
Being professional athletes has taught us many life lessons.
It teaches you to be independent, winning, losing and how to persevere.
Through our careers as professional athletes we have had the privilege of seeing a part of the world and experiencing different cultures and people.
We are very appreciative that to this day we get to travel for work from time to time and see our designs come to life in our factory.
Funnily enough, the traveling in the past also taught us the importance of home. And how it remains the happiest place for us.
It is also where we get most creative. Before we were able to rent our own office space we used to work out of the kitchen.
Today we still come up with the best ideas when we are surrounded by the feeling of familiarity. So thank God for WhatsApp these days.
**How do you live a sustainable life outside of the company?**
It is important to stress that we are by no means green warriors or examples of how to live a sustainable life.
But we 100% get the message and understand the urge to react today.
We all have different battles to fight in life but we are convinced that with little effort we can already make a big difference.
A few changes that we have made:
* \-no to fast fashion; buying less clothes and smarter
* \-no more plastic bottles and additionally be more mindful of the use of plastic in general
* \-buying fresh and seasonal fruit and vegetables instead of pre-packed food,
* \-reusing the same bag instead of buying a new one for groceries,
* \-sort trash
* \-the use of natural cosmetics
* \-leave our cars in the garage if not needed
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