READING, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GK Elite, the world’s leading brand of gymnastics competitive and training apparel, has extended its partnership with Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in World Championships history and five-time Olympic medalist. Committed to growing the sport of gymnastics, GK Elite and Biles will collaborate on the first-ever athlete-designed competitive leotards that will be available through the Simone Biles Legacy Collection, which will feature the added ability for gymnasts to customize designs to match team colors and embellishments.
The Legacy Collection strives to encourage present and future generations of gymnasts and athletes to build their own legacy in the sport. As part of the Legacy offering, gymnasts will be able to design and custom build their very own Simone Biles competitive leotard using GK’s proprietary customizer tool, UDesign360, which offers a selection of premium fabrics, embellishments, colors and interactive imagery to showcase designs.
“I am thrilled to continue my partnership with GK Elite as we work together to inspire the next generation of gymnasts and encourage them to pursue their own goals and dreams,” said Biles. “I have really enjoyed collaborating with GK’s design team and am excited to invite the gymnastics community into the process by offering the custom platform as part of my Legacy Collection. I encourage fellow gymnasts to tap into their creative minds and add their own design elements as we celebrate gymnasts of all ages and backgrounds as they build their own legacy in the sport.”
Biles, who has been a member of Team GK since 2015, will have her designs featured across a total of three collections: Replica competitive leotards, Signature training leotards and Legacy customizable competitive leotards.
The first of Biles’ collections to go live will be a series of official Replica Collection leotards that will be released to coincide with her return to competition at the GK Classic in Indianapolis, Indiana on May 22, followed by two Replica Collection leotards rolling out on June 4 and June 6 in line with the U.S. Championships. Biles’ Signature Collection of training leotards will launch on June 1 and her Legacy Collection will be unveiled in July.
“Simone Biles is a once-in-a-generation athlete, but even more impressive is her dedication to growing gymnastics with young audiences,” said Girisha Chandraraj, President and CEO of Elite Sportswear. “We are ecstatic to extend our partnership with Simone and give young gymnasts across the U.S. the opportunity to replicate her unmatched style. We proudly support Simone and her teammates as they go for gold once again this summer and inspire future gymnastics champions.”
GK Elite will also be supporting Biles’ post-Olympic Gold Over America Tour (GOAT), which is a celebration of powerful women representing the sport of gymnastics to inspire the next generation of athletes.
In addition to Biles, GK Elite is also the official partner of USA Gymnastics and will be worn by Team USA at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics as the official apparel sponsor for both the women’s and men’s gymnastics teams.
For more information about GK Elite’s partnership with Simone Biles, as well as information on collections, please visit gkelite.com and please find photos here.
About GK Elite
GK Elite is the world’s leading brand of gymnastics apparel and is recognized around the globe for superior variety, quality, fit and service. For over 35+ years, GK has been dedicated to the sport of gymnastics contributing millions of dollars to support hallmark grassroots gymnastics programs globally. Known for their signature collections of gymnastics workout leotards, GK has historically partnered with over 10 Olympic athletes and currently offers leotards designed by the most decorated American gymnast, Simone Biles, and 2016 Olympic gold medalist, Laurie Hernandez, and NCAA champion/social media sensation Katelyn Ohashi. Based in Reading, Pennsylvania, Elite Sportswear, L.P., the company behind the GK Gymnastics brand, continues its commitment to American-made quality and continuous innovation in designs for gymnastics apparel. Elite Sportswear, L.P. also owns, manufactures and distributes a full line of swimwear under its brand, Dolfin Swimwear, and cheerleading apparel through Omni Cheer and All Star Cheer. For more information regarding GK, visit gkelite.com.
About Simone Biles
Simone Biles, who is represented by Octagon, is one of the greatest gymnasts of all-time. The first woman to capture five All-Around World Championship titles, Biles is the most decorated gymnast in World Championships history – male or female – with 25 medals overall (19 gold) and is a five-time Olympic medalist (4 gold). A three-time Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year, she has earned the rare distinction of having four skills named in her honor – The Biles – in the beam, floor (two) and vault disciplines. Biles’ extraordinary accomplishments have received widespread recognition including TIME 100 Most Influential, Forbes 30 Under 30, Ebony Power 100, People Women Changing the World, USA Today 100 Women of the Century, and two-time Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year among others. Her autobiography, Courage to Soar, was a New York Times bestseller and developed into an award-winning tv special on Lifetime. Biles utilizes her platform to help advocate for change and support initiatives that provide education and assistance for children and young adults associated with adoption and childcare.
