If you’re buying activewear for yoga, Pilates or the gym, there are dozens of Australian labels to choose from – PE Nation, Active Truth, Nimble and Upside, to name a few. But when it comes to running, options are conspicuously limited.

Childhood friends and long-term running buddies Simon Hanns and Xavier Meade are out to change that. The duo’s new label, Erniold, is designed, made and worn in Melbourne, with an aesthetic that pays homage to the city’s runners.

The label’s fashion-forward yet high-performance tops, tees and singlets are worked up by Melbourne pattern-maker Anita Ov and manufactured at a family-run factory in the suburb of Broadmeadows.

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Each garment is intentionally oversized, made from an Italian polyester-lycra blend chosen for its soft, breathable, hyper-lightweight feel. The colourways reflect Melbourne’s understated, uncomplicated approach to style, with the washed black colour used in many designs nodding to the faded band tees found in many Melburnians’ wardrobes.

New styles are released in line with the running seasons: cross-country gear for winter and track-wear for summer.

The duo has been working on the concept since 2019 with Meade’s wife, graphic designer Samantha Hogan. The label itself didn’t launch until March 2021, but the sample garments made prior are still going strong.

“For us, sustainability is about forming meaningful relationships with our local suppliers and small design team here in Melbourne, and making garments that won’t need to be replaced every couple of years – that will really go the distance,” Hanns tells Broadsheet.

Like England’s Iffley Road, Canada’s Ciele Athletics and other indie running labels, Erniold is also a running community. Hanns and Meade hold a run club on Friday nights throughout summer, guiding a group of runners on a six-to-eight-kilometre route around Yarra Bend and finishing with beers.

“We named Erniold after a spot we used to meet at for runs when we were kids, and we want the brand to celebrate the way running can bring people together,” Meade says.

erniold.com