We catch up with Sam Castell and Kelly Jones, the brains behind G-Mynx, to see how they are encouraging gym goers to feel and look good
How did you two first meet?
Sam: I met Kelly’s husband first in 2015 when my son started to play rugby for the local team, he is one of my son’s rugby coaches. He introduced me to Kelly and I thought ‘I like her!’ We got on immediately.
What inspired the idea to launch G-Mynx?
Sam: Kelly loves to keep fit and healthy and is an avid gym goer. With this in mind, being a working mum of three children she was always on the lookout on ways to save time, primarily by wearing her gym wear all day, every day. After buying endless leggings and bra tops that were uncomfortable and weren’t fit for her needs, she asked if I’d like to join forces with her to produce a legging and bra top range that was fit for purpose and that everyone could enjoy. Spurred on by her competing in the Miami Pro Bikini Contest in 2018 and making use of my purchasing and supply chain experience, we began to plan what we wanted. I was a working mum beginning my fitness journey and being two different body shapes we thought we’d be an ideal match to make sure we had all bases covered.
Kelly: I wanted to do something for myself and I’ve always loved wearing gym wear, so I thought about producing my own range and when I met Sam we discussed it and came up with a plan. We came up with the name and logo on a summer’s evening whilst BBQing with drink in hand.
Was it difficult to get it off the ground?
Sam: One word: yes! We knew what we wanted – comfortable gym wear that could be worn all day every day for any occasion. We wanted the right material, in a style we had designed, high quality at a fair cost for our customers. We began the search for a manufacturing partner – and then the Covid pandemic hit. Our plans were halted while we managed our day to day jobs, plus bringing up children. Then 2021 came and we started the G-Mynx quest all over again.
Kelly: It took time to get the right partners and was deflating when suppliers promised to provide, but couldn’t walk the walk. Certain suppliers weren’t keen to work with us in the current climate as we were a start up company. We even met suppliers abroad with the hope of partnering. We finally found a partner who we could work with and haven’t looked back since.
What do you think about when creating your sportswear range?
Sam: Our first thought was to produce items that we would want to wear, hence the high waisted leggings and supportive bras and these were the first and hardest things to get right. We wanted to ensure we got what we wanted and that sizing was true to size. This naturally led to our branded accessories of booty bands, shakers and water bottles.
Kelly: The main aim was to produce gym wear that I’d be confident in. Hide the areas I disliked and enhance the ones I did. We wanted to promote the feel good factor.
How do you look to promote a positive message about all body shapes?
Sam: G-Mynx produce flattering styles to drive body positivity for women of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds. We use real people to promote our products. We are all different like Kelly and I, but with the same goal in mind. This is what brings the mynxettes together. G-Mynx want to support, inspire and motivate women on their journey. Starting anything new can sometimes be a daunting experience. I started my journey as I wanted to be healthy, this began to change the way I looked. What I wore to the gym made a huge difference to how I felt. I was already self-conscious and certainly didn’t want to show too much skin or draw attention to myself.
Kelly: We wanted to inspire women to be the best version of themselves and embrace the fact we are all different. It would be a boring world if we were all the same. Individuality rocks. We should be raising each other up as women. If you see change, compliment them. Those small words may mean the world to them and last a lifetime. Life can be hard at times and you never know what challenges people face in private.
What are your plans for 2022?
Sam: To reach as many people as we can! We believe in our products. All of our items use high quality durable materials that are built to last and are made with love and respect.
We’re in the process of publishing customer feedback, which has been really positive. We have new lines to add such as a long line tank tops, a cover up t-shirt and the ‘to and fromer’ lounge top. Plus more accessories such as a gym/yoga mat, socks and a bobble hat. Plus launching additional colours of our signature leggings and bra tops.
See more about G-Mynx on their social media channels @gmynx
