ATHLETE CREATES ACTIVEWEAR LINE FOR ATHLETIC-BODIES WOMEN AND GIRLS

Aja Evans, South side native, is a US Olympic Bobsledder who is an ambassador for PSK Collective, which was created by Phaidra Knight. Photo courtesy of Aja Evans
Aja Evans, South side native, is a US Olympic Bobsledder who is an ambassador for PSK Collective, which was created by Phaidra Knight. Photo courtesy of Aja Evans

Athlete creates activewear line for athletic-bodies women and girls

BY TIA CAROL JONES

As long as Phaidra Knight can remember, she has been into sports. As she grew older, she started to run into challenges because she had a less traditional build physically, and she developed a more muscular build, which meant having clothes custom-made to fit her look. This all led to Knight creating PSK Collective, a street and activewear line for athletically built women, girls and individuals alike, catered to all shapes and sizes.

“As I got older, I started to have these conversations with other women and girls who faced the same problems and it seemed it was a pretty common theme among athletes,” said Knight, World Rugby Hall of Fame player, who is also a mixed martial artist. “I wanted to combine my love for clothing with my passion for women’s rights and equity and this is how the PSK Collective was born.”

Knight said the mission of the brand is to inspire young women and girls to be active and confident, body positive and inspired.

PSK Collective, which launched on Wednesday, includes crop tops, dresses, leggings, rugby shirts, parkas and sweatpants, sports bras, tank tops, and shorts as well as sneakers, hats, water bottles and masks. Sizes range from extra small (xs) to three x (3X).

One of the leading pieces in the line is the authentic, equal pay rugby shirt. It is a traditional rugby shirt with Equal Pay on it instead of a number, the PSK logo and the Women’s Sports Foundation logo. A portion of the proceeds from the line goes toward the Women’s Sports Foundation.

The pieces are named for the 10 brand ambassadors. Aja Evans, US Olympic Bronze Medal Bobsledder, is one of the brand ambassadors. Evans, who is from the South side of Chicago, said she is excited to partner with PSK Collective.

Evans said what she loves about the line is the size and the fit. “Being athletic women, you tend to have more broader shoulders,” she said. “When your performance goes up, you start getting muscles, and all these things that don’t feel like what you used to feel like, it began to become hard to shop.”

Evans said she appreciates the quality of the fabric and the fit. She said the fabric is breathable. “I don’t feel like I have to get a really big size to fit my shoulders or an extra-long size in order to fit my legs. You know my waist, my hips are a little more narrow and so for them to have the inclusivity PSK Collective has, it’s really cool to be an ambassador for this brand.”

Evans said the clothing feels great and it’s movable without having to go up a size. She said she loves the crop tops in the line.

Knight said the rugby shirts are her favorite. “It’s great to wear the shirts with the PSK logo on it just because of what the brand stands for,” Knight said. Being a mixed martial artist, Knight added she’s able to slide into some of the leggings and wear them in training.

Both Knight and Evans said they are looking forward to wearing the parkas and hoodies from the collection in the fall. “To have clothes in this line that every single woman, girl and individual alike [can wear]… there’s something here for everyone,” Knight said.

Knight added she chose Evans as one of the brand ambassadors because of her poise and athleticism.

Evans has the “total package,” Knight said, adding some of the things that stand out about Evans include her work ethic and devotion to her sport.

Another positive aspect Knight sees in Evans is her willingness to get involved with some of the social justice issues. She wants to make herself “better and better,” Knight continued.

Knight said the ambassadors for the brand are pushing through barriers and are path makers. She said they are inspiring both young people and older people, adding the line is about giving back, diversity and inclusivity. “We think the power of many is far more than the power of one, which is why we have a collective,” Knight said. “Collective seems to be the way forward, especially for women.”

For more information about PSK Collective, visit https://psk-collective.com

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