Welcome to the latest in our series of Blogs called ‘Vintage Crewoom’, where we showcase some vintage, very loved, very worn (and very washed!) pieces of Crewroom kit.
This month we’re featuring an eight-year-old pair of Crewroom trackies, belonging to our very own Social Media guru and eliter rower – Juliette Perry, a former student at Somerville College, Oxford.
At Sommerville, these trackies were one of the first pieces of kit Juliette received when she joined the College Rowing Club, something she still wears to this day!
The history behind the Crewroom Trackies
At Crewroom, we’ve been manufacturing bespoke team kit since the early 2000s. Back then, the core kit we offered included custom-made rowing suits, base layers, leggings and jackets. But of course, rowers also needed something to throw on their legs, both before and after training, to keep warm and avoid injury.
In the early days, the options were pretty limited with many clubs opting to buy off-the-shelf track pants. With high-street brands focusing their patterns on the average Joe, rowers often found that the sizing, fit and features didn’t match their varying body shapes and sizes.
Common complaints were that they were too short in the leg and difficult to get on and off, either because of the fabric used or unpractical design features, such as elasticated hems. For example, a lightweight rower may be size small in terms of the waist, but taller than average with a long inside leg.
Crewroom’s founder and former elite rower – Kate Giles – had, herself, encountered the same problem. At 6ft 3” with an inside leg of 36”, there were track pants that would fit in terms of waist size but were woefully short in the leg. Unsuprisingly, Kate set to work, developing a specific pattern for rower’s!
Working with designers, she created a flexible pattern which allowed additional length to be added or removed as required e.g. S-2, M+2 etc. The track pant was lined with a smooth mesh to avoid feet catching, and an extra long zip was inserted on each side allowing rowers to undo the leg up to the knee, making them much easier to pull on and take off.
Other design features included vertical stripes with pinstripes on either side, allowing crews to customise their trackies with club colours and printing. The option of embroidery ensured the garment could be fully branded, while the internal lining ensured the embroidery backing wouldn’t come into contact with the skin, providing extra comfort.
Today, the Crewroom Trackies are worn by crews up and down the country, as well as international and elite crews. The garment is another example of Crewroom’s passion for design and innovation, creating unique products with thoughtful detailing to meet the needs of specific requirements.
For details on how to order custom kit from us click here...
To see more Crewroom products that have stood the test of time, stay posted for the next in our series of ‘Vintage Crewroom’.
