Activewear start-up Every Second Counts raises £1m investment

London-based activewear brand Every Second Counts has raised £1m in an investment round to fund its next stage of growth.

The brand, which was founded by ex-magazine fashion director Sally Dixon in 2014, has secured £1m from Singapore sports retailer Triple Pte Ltd in exchange for a minority stake and its commitment to grow the brand in Asia. Dixon said the cash injection will enable Every Second Counts, which was launched to appeal to time-constrained, fashion-conscious men and women, to extend its offering.

"This investment will allow us to significantly expand our range and the number of collections we produce each year, offering regular new lines and a much wider selection of activewear to both our e- commerce and wholesale customers," she said.

It will also lead to significant expansion in Asia with the support of Triple Pte, which will take over as its exclusive distributor in the region. The company's network covers all key markets in Southeast Asia through a combination of 30 own retail stores as well as shop-in-shop and multi-brand wholesale accounts.

"We are particularly excited to be working with Triple as our distribution partner in Asia. Triple's local market and industry knowledge gained as the exclusive distributor of five premium sports brands in the region for the past four years, will serve as a great launchpad for our brand across Asia," said Every Second Counts CEO Victoria Lazariuk, who added it would also help with manufacturing in the region.

Triple Pte CEO Michael Binger said the business, which was founded in 2013, saw a significant opportunity for Every Second Counts "due to its unique design language, brand personality, and the continuous growth of the athleisure trend. Our role will be to assist in driving the Asian distribution of the brand, both through brick and mortar presence as well as the digital landscape," he said.

Every Second Counts is available to buy from its website and a number of specialist sports destinations in the UK, including Triyoga in Chelsea, Camden and Soho and Fit Harrogate. It is also available at Rocco Forte resorts in Sicily and Germany, as well as TriFit in Singapore. It offers tops, bottoms, underwear and accessories for women and men with pricing ranging from around £15 for underwear up to £249 for a technical jacket.