Lucy Bronze Is The First Face Of ALIGNE – And She Wants Us All To Feel Empowered In Our Clothes

This Friday marks 2024's International Women's Day and, whether you think that's worth celebrating or not, one campaign has just launched to remind us all of the power and influence women can wield for good. Lucy Bronze, international footballer and England star player, has been named as the first-ever brand ambassador for ALIGNE – the affordable label which consistently creates high quality clothes which prove to be a sell-out success.

While this isn't the first time the worlds of sport and fashion have collided, it is rare that partnerships of this kind are so perfectly-matched. Run by women for women, ALIGNE never fails to prove that it truly understands what women want to wear now. It's also fully transparent in terms of how and where the clothes are made, there's an inclusive size range up to a UK22 and it has developed partnerships with organisations like Smart Works. No wonder, then, that it has quickly amassed a loyal following, often leading to pieces selling out and cropping up all over social media.

Bronze, meanwhile, has navigated the patriarchal world of football to become one of its best players, not only contributing to the incredible success of the Lionesses in the 2023 World Cup but also receiving an MBE for her services to association football in the same year. While she hasn't always felt embraced by the world of fashion, she says that ALIGNE immediately struck a cord with her.

'I really loved [the brand's] simplicity sophisticated style,' Bronze tells me. 'Speaking to them about their commitment for being female-led, I realised there was a strong connection between my values and theirs – we are so passionate about empowering women.'

Empower women she certainly has. According to the BBC, there are now twice as many registered female football teams in England as there were seven years ago; the largest increase in the period occurred the season after the Lionesses won Euro 2022. And since Bronze helped her team to reach the final of the World Cup in 2023, even more young football fans have been inspired to take up the sport. 'Our goal was always to be successful on the field. But I think our hope as team was always that we could inspire girls and boys around the country, that our impact and reach could be bigger than just us,' she says. 'To feel like we’ve made such a difference is inspiring to us, I think it motivates us even more to want to be successful and keep having a positive impact on young girls.'

From ALIGNE's perspective, recruiting Bronze as its first ambassador is about more than showcasing its latest designs – it's a way to celebrate female achievement, as Ginny Seymour, ALIGNE's managing director explains: 'Bringing fashion and female sport together, supporting and showcasing these amazing game changers off the pitch the way male athletes have been celebrated for decades through fashion, is important to me as the leader of a brand focused on community and championing females supporting females.'

The new collection includes ALIGNE's signature, contemporary take on denim, as well as relaxed tailoring and versatile separates that will make everyday outfits far easier and more interesting. For Bronze, it's about expressing herself and feeling comfortable, which isn't always an easy combination to get right. 'I think more now than ever, people use fashion to express themselves while feeling comfortable in their body and not just conforming to one style. I always like to think about clothes that I can see myself wearing for different occasions, multiple times.The best advice I was given is don’t buy it if you don’t love it.'

Given Bronze's success and the impact that she and her teammates have had, does she really think that what we wear can be empowering? '100%, I think a great example in sport would be some of the teams and individuals wearing pre-game suits. You can see they walk with a swag and confidence before their game because of the feel.'

Looking at ALIGNE's new campaign, it's clear that Bronze feels exactly that way in these pieces. For Seymour, she couldn't have imagined a better person to wear them. '[Lucy] is confident, strong, determined, kind, and unapologetic in her beliefs. She’s a role model on and off the pitch, and her impact and contribution to women’s sport is everlasting. I could not be prouder of this campaign and partnership.'

ALIGNE's desire is for us all to shop smarter, only buying pieces we really love and which can work hard in our wardrobes. Thankfully, from tailored blazers to knitted dresses to wide leg trousers, there's truly something for everyone in the new collection. While Bronze is thrilled to be the face of the fashion brand, she says her proudest moment to date is helping to 'change football for women and girls around the country.'

In a difficult world still dominated by men, what is Bronze's favourite part of being a woman in sport?

'Proving people wrong.'

Shop: Aligne's New Collection