Sometimes we just have to put in a little more work before we can finally offer certain brands and products. It actually took quite a long time for the Californian brand rabbit. One of our first customers drew our attention to rabbit FKT running pants more than two years ago and we have been following the company's development quite closely ever since.
rabbit was founded by running friends Monica DeVreese and Jill Deering. After a long career in the sportswear industry (adidas, Deckers), Monica opened the running store Santa Barbara Running Company with her husband. She noticed that a large part of the running clothing is made by shoe manufacturers on the side and therefore often looks less appealing. When her friend Jill approached her in 2016 and complained that there was no fashionable high-performance running clothing, the two quickly agreed: It's time to start your own brand.
What started as a Kickstarter campaign quickly developed into a cult brand in the American running scene. Not only are Monica and Jill fast runners with marathon bests of 2:57 and 2:48, they also have a sure hand when it comes to product development. The combination of bold colors and often casual looks has obviously been well received. Maybe it's because the clothing doesn't scream "I'm a runner" at first glance. Among the many great products, the FKT running pants, the EZ Tees and the high country shirt appealed to us the most.
Said FKT running shorts are split shorts with handy pockets for gels and phone. They are ultra light and very quick drying. Available in three different lengths, everyone will find their version here, regardless of whether you prefer it to be knee-length or whether you are more of an exhibitionist. FKT stands for fastest known time and describes the fastest proven time in which someone has covered a distance.
The high-country running shirt was particularly popular with trail runners. This shirt is not only a fashionable alternative to a t-shirt, it is also very practical. When the weather is warm, you can simply undo the snaps at the front to provide extra ventilation. At first glance, a shirt with a collar doesn't necessarily look like sports, but it's also good to wear in the café after a run or for badly timed video conferences. Ultra trail runner Anton Krupicka was already wearing shirts on the trails - if he wore a top at all - back in 2010 and certainly contributed to the popularity here.
Another typical rabbit product are the T-shirts from the EZ-Tee series (pronounced like iesie-tie), which are characterized above all by the extremely soft and comfortable material. We describe the cut as rather relaxed, and a proportion of elastane guarantees that the shirt adapts even more to the body shape. The EZ-Tees come in fashion-changing colors and in both short and long sleeve styles. Although designed as running shirts, they are also great for other activities such as yoga, the gym or just relaxing at home. Maximum feel-good factor guaranteed.
We think it's great that rabbit has emerged as a new independent running apparel company that is managed and owned by women. This is quite an exception in our industry. Monica and Jill not only bring more style to running, but also set accents elsewhere. They choose runners with different body shapes and skin colors as models, which makes for a more diverse and realistic picture of what runners look like.
We will continue to introduce new products from the company throughout the year and hope you enjoy them as much as we do. In this sense: stay hungry. Yours Truly, Jonas & Florian
Here you will find our rabbit range .
This text was first published in RUNTIME 3/23.
