Wigan designer making fitness more inclusive

Under-Rapt is the brainchild of Yasmin Sobeih, a Wigan born designer currently living in Egypt.

While promoting eco-friendly manufacturing and empowering women, the brand’s primary goal is to stop Muslim females having to choose between their faith and their lifestyle choices.

Yasmin, a 29-year-old graduate of UCLAN and the London College of Fashion, said: “As a healthy lifestyle and fitness enthusiast, I suppose it came more natural to me to want to create an ‘athleisure’ wear brand.

"Islam is the second largest religion in the world and many of the younger generation are expressing themselves through contemporary consumer culture, yet previously Muslim females have had to choose between their faith and modern lifestyle choices.

“I recognised many of my friends who wore hijab were uncomfortably hot with heavy layering or their scarf would just fall off, making them less successful during performance.

“It was evident that there were mainstream limitations for trend-driven modest active and loungewear.”

She added: “With a thriving sports and healthy lifestyle retail market and emerging modest fashion industry, it became apparent that there was mainstream limitations for both organic sportswear and trend-driven modest active and loungewear.

“Therefore, knowing the damaging effects that the fashion industry has on the environment, I blended my passions for eco-friendly fabric innovation, original design, fitness and healthy living and applied this to a business plan during my fashion buying and merchandising masters degree from the London College of Fashion. That is how Under-Rapt was born.”

Visit under-rapt.com for more.