Olympic competitor and European champion swimmer Alice Dearing has announced the upcoming launch of her new signature swimming cap, designed in collaboration with inclusive swimwear brand SOUL CAP.
The new cap – a limited-run production with sizes to fit all hair types – was created to recognise and honour the achievements and struggles of under-represented communities in the world of swimming and other sports.
Female athletes have been historically underrepresented and undervalued in the sporting world, earning significantly less than their male counterparts and receiving less media coverage for their achievements.
Dearing has been an active advocate for diversity and inclusion in swimming and sports, through both her campaigns with the Women’s Sports Trust, and as one of the four co-founders of the Black Swimming Association. Last year, she made history when she became the first Black female swimmer to represent Great Britain at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
“We’ve come a long way in making swimming and other sports more accessible and inclusive,” said Dearing. “But there’s still so much more to do. Women and those who are underrepresented are making huge strides and achieving great heights in every sport – but they’re not getting the same recognition as their counterparts.”
“If we want to see more people taking up sports and competing at a high level, we need to start opening up the playing field – so every ambitious young swimmer and athlete can feel like they have the same opportunities to grow, compete, and succeed in the sport they love.”
The new special edition swimming cap and its logo were designed by Dearing in collaboration with SOUL CAP, an inclusive swimwear brand that makes swimming caps designed to accommodate all hair types.
Since their inception five years ago, SOUL CAP has been actively working to make swimming more accessible for swimmers of every demographic – largely through their support of grass-root and non-profit organisations working toward the same goal and their online social campaigns such as #BlackGirlsDontSwim and #SwimForAll.
Last year, SOUL CAP made headlines when their original range of inclusive swimming caps were barred from being used in the Olympics by the International Swimming Federation (FINA).
“We’ve been watching and rooting for Alice for years, and we were thrilled to see her making history last year,” said SOUL CAP co-founder Michael Chapman, who together with co-founder Toks Ahmed has partnered with Dearing through multiple inclusivity campaigns.
“We’d love to live in a world where swimming and other sports are open to everyone. And with this new signature cap, we’re hoping that Alice can start to change the outdated perceptions and attitudes that are making it harder for women and all underrepresented athletes to pursue their dreams.”
