Adidas launches “extensive” new sports bra collection

Sportswear giant Adidas is launching what it calls an “extensive” new sports bra collection, featuring 43 new styles across 18 product franchises to “better support the specific needs of active women”.

Launching worldwide on February 14, Adidas states that it has re-engineered its entire sports bra portfolio to cater to more bodies and workouts than ever before, with a range that delivers added comfort and better fit to enable more women to participate in sport.

The new sports bra collection was created in partnership with the breast biomechanics research institute, University of Portsmouth and has undergone extensive research, development and multiple testing stages. Studies have shown inadequate breast support leads to movement-related breast pain in nearly half of female respondents and more than 90 percent of women have been reported to be wearing the wrong size sports bra.

In addition, the university found that if breasts are not properly supported during running, they experience the same G force as an F1 driver and could undergo potentially damaging skin stretch and that unsupported breasts can move up to 19cm during star jumps and nearly half (46 percent) of schoolgirls who were surveyed reported their breasts affected their participation in sports.

To address these issues, Adidas is redefining its current sports bra using the latest material and design innovations to offer light, medium and high support in an “extensive and inclusive size range” to help more athletes experience sports without restraint. It is also recategorising its bras into four new categories: Everyday, designed for lounging and gentle movement; Studio is for yoga, pilates and other low-to-mid intensity activities; Train is designed for enhanced support during HIIT classes and more intense sport or training, and Run, offers the highest level of breast support in the collection.

Adidas re-engineers sports bra collection to cater for more bodies and workouts

Speaking about the collection, Amy Charlton, senior director product at Adidas, said in a statement: “There is a sizeable data gap when it comes to sports bra development, so we worked with experts in breast health, University of Portsmouth, to challenge ourselves and drive forward our innovation to better meet the needs of our female athletic community.

“The wrong sports bra can have a serious impact on performance and efficiency – for example, if you run a marathon, unsupported breasts travel an extra 4 miles on their own! It was a significant undertaking with an all-female team of designers, testers and experts, and we hope this collection will help more sports bra wearers experience the benefits of added support and a better fit, and not be held back when doing the sports they love.”

Key pieces in the collection include the Coreflow Luxe Studio Medium Support Bra inspired by ballet wear that uses Adidas adisoft fabric, which has a sleek and bonded seam finish that enables a comfortable fit and feel whilst in the studio, while the Powerimpact Luxe Training Medium Support Bra has a high neck finish to offer extra coverage and support. The innovative design also has a quick-release front opening for instant relief as lungs expand during exercise, while the new Adidas adiflex fabric ensures a smooth fit and feel with clean edges to help reduce chafing over long training sessions.

There is also a Fast Impact Luxe Run High Support Bra that includes 360° adjustability allowing athletes full control over the fit while running. The wrapped design helps distribute weight evenly for a secure feel, with the smooth flat seaming design along the interior and armholes helping to prevent chafing while Adidas’ new absorbent adiform fabric provides a cool to the touch finish and Aeroready technology helps to manage moisture.

Professor Joanna Wakefield-Scurr, head of the Research Group in Breast Health at the University of Portsmouth, added: “Unknown to many, athletes may require the same amount of breast support during power walking as they do during sprinting, and a lack of support has the potential to cause irreversible damage.

“Breast movement in sport continues to be an area that is overlooked, so it’s great to have established a long-standing relationship with adidas. Not only have they invested in sports bra research and development and independent scientific testing, but they recognise the importance of raising awareness of this topic. This is great to see given the impact breasts can have on participation and performance in sport; and it’s vital that we continue to provide further education where we can.”

With fit being essential for a sports bra, Adidas has also launched an online bra fitting service to ensure more women can shop for their correct size, in addition to extending its in-store fitting service.

To promote the new collection, Adidas has tapped Olympic skier Mikaela Shiffrin to feature in the campaign speaking about the importance of the right fit, alongside yoga teacher and body positivity advocate Jessamyn Stanley, sprinter and European Championships medalist, Lisa-Marie Kwayie, British model Ellie Goldstein, and Japanese actress and TV personality Rola.

The Adidas spring/summer 2022 bra collection is available worldwide from February 14 on the sportswear brand’s website, in stores and via the Adidas app, with early access available from February 9.