Behind the scenes of our Real Women October cover shoot

Strength. Empowerment. Diversity.

When Reebok approached us with the astounding statistic that one in five women avoid exercise because of their sports bra, we were in shock. In celebration of the brand’s innovative PureMove Sports Bra we decided to team up with five real women from the region that inspire us to feel confident in our own skin, for our ‘Real Women’ issue.

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Starring in the shoot is Gbemi Giwa, dancer, Tammi Robinson, CrossFit coach, Zahra Khalil, fashion and lifestyle influencer, Dina Butti, presenter and influencer, and Dana Ahmed, fashion blogger.

Here, each of these women tell us about their inspiring journeys and give us inspirational advice on strength, empowerment and confidence through an exclusive short-film documentary.

Gbemi Giwa @gbemigiwa

The launch of Reebok’s PureMove Sports Bra is to empower women to find their confidence to work out and enjoy an active lifestyle. The idea for this innovative sports bra was derived from the shocking results found by Reebok Global stating that 50 per cent of women experience breast pain from exercising and 70 per cent are wearing the wrong size. Regional results from Reebok MENA show that 30 per cent of Emirati and expat women experience breast pain whilst exercising and 45 per cent of women weren’t confident they were wearing the right size.

Tammi Robinson @tamarind111

After launching their first ever sports bra 40 years ago, Reebok has brought to the fitness fore, a state-of-the-art bra (which has been two years in the making) which seeks to tackle the aforementioned issue head on. Zahra Khalil says: “I think it’s great that Reebok are bringing up this conversation because it’s so taboo, especially in this region. I think we need to be educated to understand how to live a more comfortable life with the body that we have and I think it’s a great initiative.”

Zahra Khalil @zahralyla

Dana Ahmed, our most pregnant and beautiful cover star to date, expressed concerns about working out throughout pregnancy and believes the PureMove Sports Bra really does provide her with the support she needs, “Since pregnancy, it’s become even more important for me to feel comfortable and confident while working out. The PureMove Sports Bra helps control and support my body when I’m training.”

Dana Ahmed @dee4dana

This revolutionary bra really is one of a kind and a life changer for women who work out – and more crucially, it inspires women to start working out. Its motion sense technology responds to your every move giving you the comfort and support you need. The innovative motion sense technology comes from a product called STF which stands for sheer thickening fluid (initially developed to be used as body armour for bulletproof vests and NASA spacesuits).

Dina Butti @dinabutti

The performance fabric tightens during high-intensity workouts and stays fluid and relaxes when you do. Smart right? Its seamless neoprene-style fabric has a racer back and perforation for extra breathability. And it also comes in an extended range of in-between sizes from 0-22 that cater to all body shapes and sizes.