Henri Lloyd and Ben Ainslie Launch New Junior Marine Range

Henri Lloyd and Ben Ainslie Launch New Junior Marine Range

Specialist marine clothing brand Henri Lloyd and double gold medallist and TEAMORIGIN skipper Ben Ainslie are delighted to announce the launch of the Ben Ainslie Collection, which took place today at the RYA Dinghy Show.

Ben worked in conjunction with the Henri Lloyd marine team to design this bespoke junior marine range which includes spray tops, hiking pants, rash vests and a selection of accessories, the collection all has a unique design and carries the Ben Ainslie signature.

The collection has been inspired by Ben’s sailing career, which ranges from Optimists to Lasers to Finn’s and more recently America’s Cup sailing. Therefore Ben’s sailing knowledge and experience was fundamental in the design and development of this technical clothing range.

“I have been sailing since I was eight years old and know how important it is to be properly kitted out whilst on the water, therefore developing a junior clothing range was really important to me, especially if it will inspire young sailors. Henri Lloyd understands the needs of the sailor and we have designed a range that is fun and comfy which also enables you to move freely around the boat, once it’s on it works, and you can forget about it and focus on performing on the water”.

Ben Ainslie

The hero product within the collection is the Ainslie Hiking Shorts, these ¾ length neoprene shorts, have been designed to provide support, comfort and protection whilst hiking. The main feature of the shorts is the incorporation of strong non-flex battens which help the wearer to hike for longer periods of time.

As with all Henri Lloyd technical clothing comfort is very important, the double thickness neoprene under the batten panels provides additional comfort to the sailor whilst the adjustable shoulder straps offer a more versatile fit.

Other features incorporated into the design are the protective knee pads and padded reinforced seat, which provide longevity and protection from deck abrasion. Whilst the externally bound seams and the double thickness industrial strength batten covering, offer increased durability.

 “It was a pleasure to work with Ben on the development of this range and the combination of our technical manufacturing experience and the valuable input from Ben has resulted in a great range of technical clothing and accessories for young sailors”.

Paul Strzelecki; Henri Lloyd Joint Chief Executive

Henri Lloyd and Ben have a long history together; he has been supported by Henri Lloyd since 1996 which has included both his Sydney and Athens gold medal winning successes and other big boat campaigns.  At the Collins Stewart London Boat Show 2007, Henri Lloyd announced the sponsorship of Ben until after the 2012 London Olympics.