The First Sox
Share
At first glance, Gym Sox might seem like the brainchild of some brilliant creative entrepreneurs who had it all planned out, with specs and preparations on all aspects of the potential trajectories of this project. Or perhaps your first impression was quite the opposite. Personally, this writer would like to share the secrets of the start-up of this rigorously random rendezvous. So, sit back, and relax while your muscles recover, and awaken the inner senses as we journey beyond the body.
There once was a woman (and there still is), who absolutely loved working out. For her, discovering the gym was a fairy-tale come true as she had never before known a love with such clarity. She fell in love with the gym upon her first entry and instantly, she knew that this would be a lasting love. Men and many suitors may have come and gone, but the feeling she found within the gym was yet to be found within them. This girl was strong, and her ambition even more so; so she would not sit still and wait for one to prove himself worthy. Instead, she travelled the world to find the place where she would fit perfectly.
About a decade later, our little lassie found herself in the heart of the United Arab Emirates, in the Emirate of Dubai. Oh, how she loved the towering buildings, the abandoning deserts and man-made beaches. This love was familiar. It was as clear and pure as the love she had for the gym. That is how she knew that she was in the right place. Yet, in the face of this great city, she felt small at first. She found herself flooded with ideas, flattery and fear. She allowed these feelings to build until they filled her up and inspiration spilled over. She would create her own way.
As life led her through its deserted lands, she unearthed her desire to wander into uncharted territories, to face the unknown with rigour, vigour and valour. She observed the sands as they shifted, marvelling at the correlations she witnessed between nature and mankind’s movement. She became aware of the passion that drove the love she had for fitness, fashion and the freedom of expression. It was the emotion beneath the friction, the transformation of energy in action that called her to be active.
Meanwhile, across the treacherous seas and unforgiving borders, there was another woman (and there still is) who was experiencing much of the same. A wanderer who was soon to be united with her destiny. This babe was no piggy in the city, but rather a glamourous force to behold. She adored to be surrounded by the busyness of her peers, people and protégés. She was sheer beauty, and she held that same beauty within her heart. It was this beauty that she was searching for in every place she ever dared to call home. It was, in fact, homeshe was seeking.
Our second star proceeded to make her way homeward, travelling far and wide without the foggiest clue as to the location of her destination. Until she found herself in the renowned City of Gold, where the horizon colours the skyline with magnificence. The enchanting reflection that the great Burj Kalifa glimmered into her line of sight was exactly the message she needed - to the top. And so, it turned out that this bird found her nest, when her search therefor ceased. Finally, her heart felt pleased and at ease. This was where she needed to be.
Though our first founder was alone, she rarely felt lonely;because she was surrounded by like-minded people. She initiated many friendships and collaborations to establishherself within the community. Once she was sure, she began to venture towards her dreams. The road is winding and wonderful, but she never expected it to lead her to her present. The gift she designed to accompany her first fashionable fitness wear, was one she delineated out of pure pleasure, purpose and practicality.
Socks. “Everyone needs them”, she realized the brilliance of her little idea and knew that it would one day have to stand in its own right. They would have messages on them that are easy to read and relate to. Something that used to be mundane and ‘every day’, would become a conduit through which the community can communicate and express themselves with clarity. Giving the opportunity for people to connect through elementary quotes and the mood they carry.
The essence that these socks stand for, the intention they hold within them is almost more necessary than the necessity for socks alone. She named them Gym Sox, because she designed it for the endorphins. However, people in all settings started commenting and reacting with adoration to these plain white socks with just enough meaning on them. The gym was no longer the only place for Gym Sox. It seemed that these socks loved to travel as humans do. They wanted to be seen, to be heard and to be worn by all different kinds of individuals.
And a different kind of individual she was. The lass who found her home in Dubai, found a helping hand there too. The person who would be there to support her with ample opportunity for her self-discovery. For it was these two girls who crossed paths somewhere along this story’s timeline, to allow their fate to intertwine. These two awe-inspiring women swiftly became friends since they had shared so much of the same journey through separate paths. They resonated with each other in fierceness, beauty and love. That love our heroines felt for the gym; for fitness, fashion and fortitude. That love that the desert showers out into the open sky. It was that same transparent love that created a desire within them both.
The desire to allow people to wear their hearts on their sleeves and their thoughts on their socks. The Gym Sox sisters set out to do exactly that. And exactly that is how Gym Sox was conceived.
Until their collaboration truly began, these socks were a small concept, that was piling up into a kind of sock-stock storehouse only to be seen when worn by the founder and a handful of fanatic friends. But when the second little birdie encouraged the first to share these inspirational quotes to the world, the potential for a much grander purpose, of the significance they both saw in these socks, the pursuit of Gym Sox became real.
And they knew that this would be an endless endeavour;
Because everyone needs socks and we all tend to share the same thoughts.