Peloton Launches a Collection by a "Project Runway" Alum — and Jess King Is the Muse

POPSUGAR: What does it mean for Peloton to spotlight an emerging designer who got their start on "Project Runway"?

Jess King: [Allen] runs her shop by herself. All her designs are custom-made by hand. I think it's incredible. Remember, this is a Peloton member . . . and this [journey] started with somebody who's on the bike taking classes with us and living her life. The fact that we are now here and collaborating is almost like musically collaborating with an indie artist who's No. 1 on the pop charts. We have decided to work with one of our own and allow the energy, joy, and excitement behind both parties to finally come together.

Nothing like this has ever come through the Peloton apparel before. This is the first time you're going to see prints like these with a high-fashion element. From [Allen's] top-stitching to her fabric choices, it's clear this woman understands the runway.

Brittany Allen: My time on "Project Runway All-Stars" made me more unapologetic about what I do in the real world. The competition puts you through insane deadlines, intense pressure, and makes you think long and hard about your work and the inspiration behind it. I was able to come straight out of "All-Stars" and start on this collection with a new perspective. I was already in the mindset of designing and sewing very quickly, so I continued on while feeling that validation.

I knew after competing and knowing the outcome that I do have a place in this industry — the competition just allowed me to do what I do with max effort and less worry about what other people will think. Christian Siriano once told me, "You will not be for everyone." Since then, I have truly focused on giving to those that enjoy what I bring to fashion, which is new and innovative designs in activewear.

PS: Tell us about the first custom Brittany Allen piece to ever hit Peloton screens.

BA: After I competed on "Project Runway" season 18, I came back with a newfound source of inspiration and determination, and I thought, "What the hell — I'll shoot [Jess King and DJ John Michael] a DM and see what happens." Designers never get responses back from celeb DMs, but they both responded. They heard my story and instantly wanted to try out a jacket project, while Jess started cooking up some bigger plans. I think I did really well on those jackets because I consider that my very first project for anything Peloton — and I guess you could say I made it past the "audition," because they wanted to keep working together.

JK: [When we first wore the jackets,] we turned all the lights off during the class and we did a dance — and you just saw our little light-up arms. Amazing. When the Jess King Experience season two came around, I sent [Allen] bins of Peloton clothes, and she created this amazing upcycled look out of it.

PS: What was the first completely custom Brittany Allen for Jess King Peloton outfit?

JK: It was for the Miley Cyrus Artist Series. It was a long-sleeved pink top with red plastic hearts and the Peloton "P" made from rhinestones, with matching pants. It was the first time that we had customized anything to say "Peloton," and it was epic.

BA: It felt SO WILD. I have been a Peloton member for over seven years now. I have thought about a moment like that since I first got my bike, so to see it actually happen didn't really hit me until way later. By then, I was doing multiple customs a week, and it's been nonstop ever since. Now, when I see the work, I am just honored to get to do this. To be able to create freely with such incredible humans is pretty remarkable. I don't know if I will ever get used to it. Plus, it's always something new, so it never feels redundant, and we get to come up with new ideas for custom activewear on the regular.

PS: How does Jess King and her style influence the Brittany Allen x Peloton collab?

BA: Jess King is the perfect muse. She was the first one to take a chance on me when I had nothing. I hadn't dressed anyone with a large following, and she must have known that we are the same amount of weird from the first DM I ever sent her.

One of the many things I love about Jess is she just lets me be me. She gives me full creative rein. She will call me and tell me she has this artist ride or a specialty class coming up with a theme, and she lets me run with it. Having her as the muse for my collab collection makes that process so easy, because I know she is down to wear anything. Not many people are like that, so when I was creating this collection, I kept thinking of her and how ambitious I want my customers to be when it comes to activewear. Jess always wants me to get funky and push the design, so this collection shouldn't be anything different. I mean, if I am doing something subtle, what makes me different than other activewear designers out there? Having her in the back of my mind helped push the envelope with all the exciting styles in this lineup.

JK: [Allen] is a sister to me. We have become best friends, and it has been the most enjoyable, reliable, fun friendship and relationship. It's amazing because we get to be friends in our personal lives, but at the same time we get to create together, which is such a deep passion we both share. I feel like Bri's brand just matches mine on the bike and the tread. It's energetic, bold, electric, shiny, glittery, and flirty. When I have something on that's so fun and colorful, it just makes me feel energized.

PS: Which pieces from the collaboration are you most excited about?

JK: I am jazzed about every single piece in the collection. I'm really excited about the pink bra and the pink cargo short, because it's such a fun color that really pops on the screen. And then Bri also made this cargo jacket that I'm gonna wear every single day. It's a perfect material. It's lightweight, but it's like elevated athleisure. Even though it's athleticwear and I'm going to get sweaty and work hard, I also feel like I'm in couture.

BA: The hero pieces of the collection are the sequin hoodie and the cargo jacket. But let's face it, the hoodie is for after the gym to throw on and go about your day. Usually that part of someone's daily regimen doesn't look as high fashion, but we found a way to do it. The cargo jacket, on the other hand, is extremely versatile, and I don't think there is anything our consumers can't do in this jacket. It's absolute perfection. It brings the fashion-forward details without restraining the individual during exercise.

PS: What unique challenges did the Brittany Allen x Peloton collab present, compared to designing 'fits for the instructors?

BA: To create a collection and try to meet the demands and desires of all customers is tough. It's often that you either sacrifice something that the customer may want because it isn't your aesthetic, or you are sacrificing your DNA just to be more commercial. I wanted to fight this pick-and-choose from the very start. My goal was to create a collection that was extremely cohesive, in which almost everyone could find something that they loved.

When I create customs for the instructors, I am not having to think of multiple people. I am channeling the style of the instructor, their point of view, and just marrying that with my active expertise in design. It's much more a conceptual process that results in a one-of-one. Usually with classes, we also have themes or specialty rides. With this collection, it was truly creating anything I wanted from scratch.

PS: What details did you know you wanted to include in the collection from the start?

BA: I have to admit, I think most of the activewear in the market today is super boring. I found a really incredible brand I loved a few years back, and they were insane with their fits and prints. They shut their doors not too long after [I discovered them]. It was one of those moments that I realized people don't want just neutral activewear. That was made evident during the pandemic when people were starved for exciting fashion they could wear at home.

Right now, fashionable activewear is giving consumers something completely different that isn't what they are used to seeing over and over on the racks of other brands. Sometimes, consumers want to be inspired to get up and move their body, and I want to be able to do that through loud and exciting clothing. Fashionable activewear to me features key colors, new prints, and interesting hardware.

It's really surprising how you can take everyday ready-to-wear or high-fashion trends and still apply it to activewear. In my opinion, that's what makes the pieces more versatile and not just for the gym. Still, we were really wise as to where we placed all the trims, hardware, and decorative details. Nothing is put in a place where it may feel uncomfortable or in the way during movement. I personally patterned and sewed all samples, which allowed me to try on the garments, move around, and see what worked and what didn't.

PS: What does the butterfly Peloton symbol represent in this collaboration?

BA: The butterfly has always been a part of my brand, and it was a way I could bring that into this collection while not making it the main focus. The butterfly is actually part of my logo, so marrying the butterfly and "P" for Peloton was the most iconic way to merge the logos to represent our collab. The butterfly is such a strong symbol for transformation, growth, and transition. It's something I feel like I am doing on the daily. I want to grow not only as a human but as an artist, and this collaboration is part of that growth.