When members of the Canadian women香蕉视频直播檚 beach volleyball team take to the sand for their opening match of the Paris Summer Olympics on July 27, there will be an impossible-to-overlook B.C. connection.

While none of the players are from B.C., they香蕉视频直播檒l be wearing uniforms designed by Left On Friday, which was founded by Ashcroft-born Shannon Savage and Laura Low Ah Kee, whom Savage met when they worked together at Lululemon.

Savage says she took an interest in sewing when she was a student at Ashcroft Secondary School.

香蕉视频直播淚t was always fun. We were crafty as a family, and my mom made our clothes when I was young, so I had an understanding that this was a skill or talent people had, which was cool.香蕉视频直播�

Savage thought she might become an architect, and did a year of building engineering at BCIT before dropping out and doing a year of stagecraft at a college in New Westminster. It included costume design, which she found interesting and creative, so she tried to figure out what she wanted to do.

香蕉视频直播淭here was a program at Kwantlen Polytechnic that featured business, marketing, creating products, and designing for niche markets. I looked into it and thought it was incredible, so I put together a portfolio and got accepted.香蕉视频直播�

That was Savage香蕉视频直播檚 door into the apparel industry. She stuck it out for the 香蕉视频直播渧ery intensive香蕉视频直播� four-year program, which was good preparation for getting into the apparel business.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 very gruelling. I worked at a couple of apparel companies in action sports, like snowboarding and skateboarding. A friend had started working at Lululemon, and said interesting things happened there, and I wanted to stay in action sports, so I put in an application and started there in 2005.香蕉视频直播�

She worked there for more than a decade, and during that time met Low Ah Kee. 香蕉视频直播淲e became pretty good friends, and identified a niche market no one else was doing: high performance and high fashion. We both loved the water and the ocean; I lifeguarded at the Ashcroft pool.香蕉视频直播�

Savage left Lululemon after having her first child, and Low Ah Kee left a year later.

香蕉视频直播淲e started doing research and development into whether we could get this project off the ground. We started by having fun with it, then realized it wasn香蕉视频直播檛 just a fun project; we could do this for real.香蕉视频直播�

After a year of research and development, the pair launched Left On Friday in 2018. Their designs blended form and function, and in 2022 they began a partnership with the Canadian women香蕉视频直播檚 beach volleyball team. Savage says the partnership came about very organically.

香蕉视频直播淎 member of the national team reached out to us and said she had found us online and seen our product. She had already tried our product and loved it, so she reached out to us to see if we had an ambassador program and could sponsor her in some way. We said we could support her through giving her product, so she wear-tested it and gave us feedback.香蕉视频直播�

Lululemon had been sponsoring the women香蕉视频直播檚 beach volleyball team, and when that deal ended Savage and Low Ah Kee香蕉视频直播檚 contact reached out to them and told them to get in touch. Savage says they realized that the time frame of the sponsorship would take them to the Paris Olympics, which she describes as 香蕉视频直播渁mazing.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e young as a company, so we were flattered that the team wanted us as their sponsor. The team wasn香蕉视频直播檛 being told they had to wear this apparel; they were asking for it, because they loved it. We said we香蕉视频直播檇 do it, and find a way to sponsor the team.香蕉视频直播�

In the two years leading up to the Paris Olympics, Left On Friday outfitted the team for an entire year of training apparel, which was custom-printed with the Volleyball Canada and Left On Friday logos. Then, as the team moved through the Commonwealth and Pan-Am Games, Left On Friday provided them with specific uniforms for playing in. 香蕉视频直播淢oving into the Olympic year we created new uniforms for the national team. We wanted them to stand out.香蕉视频直播�

Savage, who does all the product design, says it香蕉视频直播檚 a 香蕉视频直播渕ind-blowing香蕉视频直播� moment.

香蕉视频直播淲e got to work with the team and heard their feedback, knowing they were going to have this big moment. We worked with them to understand what styles they like. There香蕉视频直播檚 a one-shouldered design they love for serving, so we ran with that and created something unique for this year.香蕉视频直播�

Savage adds that she loves the partnership with the team. 香蕉视频直播淭he athletes are amazing, and we love to see our product worn by them and put to use. We香蕉视频直播檝e launched an ambassador program and work with other athletes in Canada and the U.S., so we香蕉视频直播檙e looking to see what the future brings.香蕉视频直播�

She also loves the idea that Left On Friday is supporting the team.

香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e elite athletes who香蕉视频直播檝e worked so hard to get to the level they香蕉视频直播檙e at, and it香蕉视频直播檚 an honour to do this, so we sponsor them. Their entire life is being an athlete. They can香蕉视频直播檛 hold down a job as well, so sponsorship is important for them as athletes.

香蕉视频直播淏rands want to be associated with teams as long as the brand is aligned, and it香蕉视频直播檚 good exposure for the brand. It goes both ways, because we get to promote these athletes.香蕉视频直播�

Savage says that this is a really exciting year for Left On Friday香蕉视频直播檚 growth.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e watching these women. And they香蕉视频直播檙e so good. They香蕉视频直播檙e really in the running to be top of the world. We hope they香蕉视频直播檙e going to get there, and we香蕉视频直播檒l be cheering them along every step of the way.香蕉视频直播�

Left On Friday香蕉视频直播檚 products can be found at Turf (2041 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver); you can also check out their products at .