Dust off your ankle weights and memorize your CVV, as Toronto-based clothing brand Good For Sunday is collaborating with BodyBreak, the cult-classic exercise program hosted by two former Canadian athletes.
Opening shop in 2020, Good For Sunday’s founders, Anthony and Demetra Kentris, found a void in the market when it came to athleisure that was ethically sourced and manufactured. The pair continue to produce most of their garments in Toronto, offering customers casual items as well as an alternative to fast fashion.
Last year, Good For Sunday began working on the idea of a sportswear collection. The Kentrises wanted to give the line a more vintage look. So, when looking for inspiration, the pair fell upon a vibrant brand from their childhood.
“We landed on it and remembered this BodyBreak brand from our childhood. It kind of already encapsulated the diversity that we wanted to include,” Anthony says. “We wanted to connect with a healthy living brand that really means something to Canadians.”
BodyBreak was a television segment that started in the late ’80s. Hosts Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod both reached international status in Canada in sports, with Johnson playing first base for Team Canada and McLeod leaping over hurdles at multiple track and field events.
“Hal and I came up with the idea 34 years ago. It was really just a way to encourage Canadians to get out and be active, eat healthier and to show that all Canadians can do it regardless of your age, your race or your abilities,” McLeod says.
Johnson and McLeod found a small gap in TV broadcasting which was normally filled by a public service announcement. This would allow BodyBreak to air close to 1,500 times a week depending on programming schedules.
The key to this partnership is nostalgia. “They [the Kentrises] remembered us growing up. Our videos would come on YTV when you least expect them and it brought back a lot of good memories for them. They realized that many Canadians had been touched by BodyBreak,” Johnson says.
Demetra says she wants the collection to inspire those feelings of nostalgia in wearers of this new collection. “When you mention BodyBreak to Canadians, their faces immediately light up with nostalgic, joyful memories of their childhood when they remember that unforgettable theme song and Hal and Joanne’s friendly faces.”
The collaboration between Good For Sunday and BodyBreak is chock-full of athletic wear that is going to scratch your vintage itch. The collection features everything from relaxed t-shirts and shorts to quarter-zips and crewnecks.
Select pieces have been designed to directly mimic memorabilia from the show’s first days on air. The original ringer t-shirt features the graphic design which was used on BodyBreak’s pilot episode in 1988.
Anthony is adamant that the garments are made to last. “We don’t make trendy silhouettes. We make silhouettes that are timeless and can be worn for years and years. For both its style and quality.”
When asked about the decision to keep everything in-house and eco-friendly, Anthony Kentris says, “We see the importance of supporting our local economy. We also started using materials such as organic cotton, bamboo, hemp and linen to make our collections more sustainable.”
The collaboration was released today, May 18 and is available on the official Good for Sunday website.