Running is not just a workout or a quick fix, but a way of life. Any running enthusiast will tell you that. Runners make sacrifices and embrace pain, but they have a love for their sport that’s all-consuming. There are epic running highs, blissful moments, PRs and BQs. Embodying this concept in its entirety and making waves in the running apparel world is Tracksmith. These guys live and breathe running, and with that, honor and highlight its tradition in both their apparel collection and Meter Magazine publication.
Tracksmith’s men’s–and soon to be women’s!–running line takes an updated approach to classic, refined pieces. Designed in Boston and produced in New England, the apparel exceeds excellence from fabric quality to fit and details. Meanwhile, Meter Magazine highlights running culture with inspiring stories of athletes, races and even the sport’s history. Our friend Emily Maye, who we have proudly featured on the RANGE Blog in the past, has been shooting their look books since the beginning, lending her poignant, documentary style photography to the multidimensional brand.
We chatted with both the Co-Founder/CEO and Head Designer to get the inside scoop on Tracksmith’s story and where they’re headed next. Matt Taylor, Co-Founder and CEO, studied at Yale where he ran for their Cross Country and Track & Field teams. Running being an integral part of his life, he most recently served as the Global Head of Marketing for Running, Training and Fitness at PUMA before venturing out to start Tracksmith. Meanwhile, Erica Cottrell, Head Designer, brings a Parson’s School of Design degree to the table along with her experience starting the Brooklyn-based brand Outlier, and working on Technical Design in Men’s Outerwear at Burton. Combine these forces together, and it’s no surprise Tracksmith is so on it.
Q. Can you describe how the East Coast’s running history melds into your design process?
Erica: We obsess over functional requirements and cultural references in our product range, so in a way, it guides everything we do. New England has four distinct, yet overlapping seasons, so designing for those needs is important. For example, building our Bislett pants with a stirrup and a water repellent, quick-drying fabric makes them perfect for New England’s winter. And culturally we look at the steep tradition of amateur athletics to draw inspiration like the sash on our Van Cortlandt singlet and the legacy of the Grayboy tee.
Runners are everywhere in Boston, on every road, track and path, and they’re present all year round. We all run at the office, and being part of this community also influences our design process.
Q. Along with track tradition, what do you look to for inspiration and how does your own love of fitness and sport play a role?
Erica: We’re really inspired by the elite amateur runners we use in our photography. They have full-time jobs, but still compete at a very high level. How they train, when they train, the sacrifices and compromises they make – there’s a lot to learn from them.
We’re also inspired by the utilitarian New England spirit. We want less stuff that does more and this has definitely played a role in how we’ve approached many of our pieces at Tracksmith.
And we want things to fit well. The goal is to not be distracted by any garment while running, so we look at classic tailoring for really considered details, pocketing and clean finishings.
Q: Your products are known for pairing timelessness and thought with tech and performance. Is the team constantly testing product to master that unique balance?
Erica: We’re constantly testing fit, function and design through in-house sampling and running. We also work closely with our vendors to try and develop materials that suit our needs most. There are some classics out there that are still the gold standard in running, so bringing technology to them and getting to the core of what they’re good at has helped us keep a balance.
Q: Many runners can relate to your focus on the elite amateur, for example, the #NoDaysOff challenge. What is it about a runner’s streak that resonates with the Tracksmith team, and can we expect more challenges from you guys in the future?
Matt: It’s less about the streak or thinking of it as a challenge, and more about preparing a mindset and sparking a desire to build good habits. Our lives are busy. We’re bombarded with distractions and overloaded with information. We think centering your day around your run, whether you run early in the morning or late at night on a treadmill, is one of the best things you can do.
Q: Meter Magazine is another amazing element you guys have going on. It’s so inspirational and truly depicts the heart of a runner! From destination races to digging through the sport’s history, I read the first issue from cover to cover with a smile on my face. Can you speak of any excitement surrounding Issue Two?
Matt: It’s great to hear that response because it’s why we published Meter in the first place. Those were the stories we wanted to read. Nothing like it existed in running, so we’re doubling down. The next issue is being wrapped up now and it’s definitely a step up from the first one. Because it’s launching close to the Boston Marathon, we have some great Boston-related stories in there. We also have a great story on the urban run club movement and our first foray into sports psychology. Additionally, we’ll start offering subscriptions quarterly, so it’s a great gift for any runner.
Q: Starting off as a small brand with a niche market can be challenging for so many reasons. Any humorous or interesting stories from the early days that your team now looks back on with smiles and nostalgia?
Erica: We make jokes about our first office being at the Whole Foods cafeteria in Wellesley. We met there for several months before we had our office at the halfway mark of the Boston marathon. We had an unlimited choice of snacks, but it was lacking in other office amenities.
Matt: Erica is forgetting our temporary office in between Whole Foods and our current HQ. We were in an old watch factory for a month or two. No walls, dust everywhere, birds living in the rafters. I loved it, but no one else did.
Q: Tracksmith has accomplished a lot since its launch in July. How has social media and community played a role in your growth?
Matt: Our growth has come largely through word-of-mouth, so social, community and content have played key roles. We’ll continue investing in these channels and put more resources behind them. We have a few big initiatives coming this year.
Q: As fellow runner, and I’m sure I speak for many, I couldn’t be more excited for your expansion into women’s! Any hints as to what we can look forward to?! Perhaps a females’ BQ singlet?! Also, just as important, is there a launch date in mind?
Erica: We’re so excited to be developing women’s product. We’ve been working on it for a year and can’t wait to get it into our customer’s hands. Our overall approach and philosophy doesn’t change for women’s product, so while the product will look very fresh for women’s running, it won’t be a major departure from the overall Tracksmith aesthetic.
Q: Wrapping up with a fun one, if you could plan a dream destination run, where would you go and why?
Matt: I’ve been fortunate to run in some of the most scenic places in the world. I love those roads and trails that take your breath away, but to me, a dream destination run would be to rent a cabin on a lake near lots of trails with good friends. My best running memories are the training camps we did in college, spending a week with your teammates running, swimming and cooking on the grill. It’s the environment we recreate for our photo shoots, so one of these days, we’ll have to do an employee training camp trip.
XX HANNAH