Do you remember? In 2008, Olivia and Élodie won the silver medal in the 4x100 metres at the Beijing Olympics. In 2016, they won the ultimate award with the gold medal. Our fashion-loving champions then announced their retirement from sport and launched their lifestyle and sportswear brand: 4254. Their technical and fashionable clothing lines are dedicated to women and are sold in 12 countries around the world, including the Netherlands, Ukraine, Dubai and Russia.
Olivia and Élodie are bold and determined and have caught the eye of magazines such as Grazia, Le Figaro and Vogue. In 2019, this ace Belgian pair took on American buyers and took part in their first show in New York, the cradle of urban sportswear. "Internationally, when we say we are a Belgian fashion brand, that has a very strong impact and really opens doors for us. I have learned to be proud of Belgium off the sports field and continue to fly the flag in the world of fashion" explains Olivia Borlée.
Back to Belgium, where Olivia and Élodie became the figureheads of activewear. They have even become the faces of an exhibition that opened at the Fashion Museum in Hasselt in June 2021.
Today? Nothing can stop the champions, who are currently rebranding: 4254 becomes UNRUN. Their priority is to make clothing production more ecological and more ethical. 10,000 items are produced in Belgium, Tunisia and Portugal every year. Their lycra t-shirts are made from recycled plastic bottles. This innovative, stylish and designer brand is so successful that a certain Kim Clijsters decided to wear their outfits to compete.
"We are so proud... It was Kim who contacted us to say she wanted to continue wearing Belgian colours on the courts as well as through fashion and our brand" said Olivia.
The young athlete Camille Laus fell in love with the brand, approached them and agreed to become their ambassador. Thanks to Camille and other athletes like Hanne Claus, UNRUN is now worn at the Olympic Games. Olivia and Élodie are already working on their next collection and nurturing the dream of one day seeing one of their ambassadors winning an Olympic medal while wearing UNRUN..."The sky is the limit," concludes Élodie smiling.
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Les Belges Histoires
WBI, in partnership with RTBF, invites you to discover the portraits of French-speaking Belgians who are promoting Wallonia-Brussels.
