Literary Sport is a Toronto-based running brand building performance apparel for the fashion-minded runner
The inspiration behind the brand’s collections, their refusal to follow trends, pricing, and positioning
Literary Sport has a specific point of view in running: cardigans, luxury fabrics, plaid shorts, semi-translucent jackets. Inspiration pulled from Liam Gallagher to art galleries. For many, none of it computes, but that’s precisely where the brand has found its footing.
There is a runner out there who has cycled through every niche label on the market and still isn’t satisfied: they want something quieter, high-quality for sport, and genuinely personal, rather than a subcultural performance. Literary Sport is making products for that runner.
Founded in Toronto in 2022, the label operates with a team of fewer than ten people. Creative direction falls to a duo, one half of which is Jackie McKeown, a stylist and runner who came on board before the brand had a name.
We sat down with her a few days after she finished The Speed Project to talk inspiration, early reception, and what’s next for Literary Sport.
BITR: Let’s start from the beginning. How did you get involved in the project?
Jackie: There are two founders based in Toronto. One of them approached my partner, Fran, with whom I handle creative direction, and me when they were first conceptualizing the brand in 2022. We were the first people to come on and help develop it. I had a lot of experience in fashion, creative direction, and styling, but I was also a runner, so it was a natural fit.
BITR: How would you position Literary Sport right now in the sports apparel landscape?
Jackie: We obviously have a more fashion-conscious customer, but we’re getting a lot more attention from the running space lately. We are intentionally designing running clothing. I’d call us a running brand for people who love fashion.
BITR: Every brand has a singlet and shorts these days. What makes the world of Literary Sport feel different?
Jackie: I was already buying brands in the niche fashion-running space. I was interested in what they were doing technically, but the aesthetic wasn’t mine. When this project came on, it felt obvious: there was a gap.
The people behind Satisfy or District Vision genuinely live and breathe that aesthetic, and their customers connect to it because it’s a strong, real idea. But that’s not my culture. I live in Toronto. I run in cities. I work in fashion. What do I actually want to see? We brought our own world into the brand, going to galleries, to bookstores.
BITR: Where does your seasonal inspiration come from?
Jackie: It varies. One collection was inspired by photos of myself as a kid wearing plaid Umbro shorts, and by my roots (my parents are from Ireland and Scotland). We had a photo of Oasis on our mood board because I was inspired by the blue button-down shirt. Sometimes you see a piece of art and love the color palette because there’s an unexpected mix, and you just want to see that in clothing. It doesn’t have to be specific to sport. If something feels right, we build around it.
BITR: Color is a big part of what you do. You are always doing something unexpected with color. Is that a conscious move?
Jackie: At the larger fabric fairs in Paris, Portland, and Munich, there are always trend boards on display. I never look at those, lilacs and dusty purples were the big trend call for this season, and you can see a lot of brands ran with that. For us, it’s much more intuitive. It doesn’t really have seasonality. It’s more about what feels right for the time and what we actually want to wear. Not because someone from above is telling us what’s trending.
BITR: What surprised you most when you launched, good and bad?
Jackie: We were overwhelmed by the positive response. Even at our first event during New York Fashion Week in September 2024, before the brand was truly even online, the turnout was super positive. People were engaged right away, and we thought it would take years to build momentum. On the flip side, the backlash from the running community was immediate. Too expensive, it’s fashion, it’s not for running. That non-acceptance was difficult, even if not totally unexpected. It’s turning around now, but there was definitely a delay on that side.
BITR: On price, do you think the aesthetic is making people assume it costs more than it does?
Jackie: I think so. We actually sit below some brands on quite a few pieces. Where prices are higher, it’s genuinely the cost of production and fabric; we don’t choose fabrics based on price; we choose them based on the product. We have some beautiful Italian alpaca wool coming for Fall ’27 that’s expensive, but it’s an investment piece. We really try to make things that live outside of sport, so you’re not paying for something you’ll only ever run in.
BITR: What’s your most popular piece right now, and what’s the most underrated?
Jackie: Outerwear always does well for us. This season, the men’s Henry jacket and the women’s Celeste jacket in bright red have been huge, as has the tan version. The Nelson and May over-pants are massive, too. People love the idea of something tailored and comfortable they can throw on after a run or wear to a meeting. But my most underrated piece, and honestly my most worn, is the merino waffle. People gravitate toward the flashier stuff, but that piece was a lifesaver on the Speed Project. You might be sweating through four or five runs in a row, but it dries fast and never smells. My number one go-to.
BITR: The brand is very minimal in its use of logos and graphics. Will that evolve?
Jackie: We’ve talked about switching it up in a way that still feels authentic, adding different types of branding in a minimal way. We’ll never be fully branded across the chest. But vintage running tees and sportswear are inspiring me right now, and if a monogram or a slightly larger logo feels right, there’s definitely a possibility.
BITR: What’s coming up? Any plans for collaborations, a presence at Paris Fashion Week?
Jackie: We’ll be in Paris in June for the men’s market, and we have a footwear collaboration we’ve been working on that should launch at our showroom. If timing aligns, it’ll be available at the end of June or early July.
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Alfredo is a runner, writer, creative director, and cultural analyst based in Berlin. After years as a casual runner, his move to Berlin transformed his running into a vital practice for mental health and a source of tranquility during cold, early morning runs. His interest in clothes comes from uniforms and sportswear, combined with a love for innovation and research—which might explain why he meticulously charts his winter running gear.
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