Former Matches executive Carl Tallents launches activewear brand

Carl Tallents, former chief commercial officer at Matches, has launched a new activewear brand, Now You Live, positioned at the intersection of luxury and wellbeing.

Described as a new kind of activewear brand, Now You Live has been designed to offer refined and grounded athleisure built for modern life and launches with a considered wardrobe of elevated essentials “that go beyond the gym” for both women and men.

Tallents, who also transformed Flannels into a luxury destination as head of brand before joining Matches, founded Now You Live after stepping away from the intensity of corporate fashion and reassessed his priorities regarding his personal wellbeing. It was during this time away that he realised that the clothing within the health and wellness space didn’t reflect who he was or how he wanted to live.

Whereas most of the market is offering high-energy colours, overt branding, and purely performance-led design, Tallents is targeting the growth in the premium activewear market with activewear that is “designed not for noise or hype, but for longevity, comfort, and quiet confidence”.

Commenting on the brand launch, Tallents, founder of Now You Live, told FashionUnited over e-mail: “Now You Live was born out of a personal reset. After years’ operating at the highest level of luxury fashion in fast-paced, high-pressure environments, I took time away to reassess how I wanted to live. That period of reflection shifted my priorities toward wellbeing, balance and longevity.

“What I noticed was a disconnect between the clothes available in the health and wellness space and the way I now wanted to show up. Everything felt overly branded, trend-driven or performance-obsessed. I wanted pieces that felt calm, intentional and confident, clothing that supports both movement and mindset. That became the foundation of Now You Live."

New premium activewear brand Now You Live launches

Now You Live debuts with a collection centred on elevated classics, with clean silhouettes, premium fabrics, and “a quiet confidence,” through timeless, sophisticated pieces in muted, natural tones, which Tallents states “speaks to a new luxury - one that values simplicity, wellbeing and presence”.

This isn’t just activewear, but “a lifestyle,” adds the former Matches and Flannels executive, with the debut collection offering refined soft-touch activewear, sculpted layers, cotton-rich knitwear, relaxed tailoring, loungewear and accessories designed for athleisure, the gym, Pilates and yoga.

The range also includes the YX 101 sneaker, featuring a Vibram sole and lightweight EVA midsole cushioning, which has been designed for all-day wear, low-profile suede sneakers, clean and minimal performance sneakers, and lightweight, pared-back hiking boots and shoes.

Highlights include various legging styles made with the brand’s signature YouMove women's performance fabric with four-way stretch, a soft-touch feel, and medium support, designed to offer a smooth, sculpted fit that flatters without restriction, which come in six colours “grounded in nature,” including black, tan, cream, light pink, dark green and brown. Several matching sports bras, including a sculpted bra designed for yoga, as well as sweatshirts, joggers, jackets, and T-shirts for layering, and knitted “foundational pieces,” such as chunky cardigans, jumpers, hoodies, and knitted wraps and blazers.

For men, the collection has been built for the “modern man who values comfort without compromise and style without effort,” with elevated essentials, including T-shirts, gym tank tops, shorts, joggers, knitted polo shirts, and lightweight shell jackets.

The brand debuts via its own direct-to-consumer website, at nowyoulive.com, with wholesale distribution to follow at luxury department stores in the UK, including Selfridges, Harrods and Harvey Nichols, supported by immersive pop-up activations.

Prices range from 65 pounds for a sports bra to 245 pounds for a knitted blazer for women, while the menswear ranges from 50 pounds for the gym tank top to 245 pounds for the knitted cardigan. Footwear prices range from 125 to 225 pounds, and accessories range from 65 pounds for hats to 85 for the tote bag, which comes in two colourways.

Following the launch, Now You Live also plans to expand into growing athleisure categories, including padel and golf.