Laura Ward, a UK entrepreneur, founded EXEAT, a luxury British court wear brand for women, which has become the world's best-selling tennis apparel brand. Since its inception in 2021, EXEAT has revolutionised the global tennis apparel market, with a unique "high-fashion meets centre court" aesthetic that has won a cult following.
Tennis, along with its sister sports padel and pickleball, is the fastest-growing sport among women globally, and EXEAT benefits from this trend. The brand is hailed as the UK's most exported luxury court wear label, with 80% of revenues coming from lucrative global markets.
Laura's success has been recognised with accolades such as "Global Start-Up of The Year" and "Start-Up Entrepreneur of The Year," and the UK government has appointed her as a UK Export Champion. In this role, Laura shares her trade insights with ministers and other British businesses to help them build successful export brands. She encourages other UK brands to establish global strategies, which she believes are essential for success in today's competitive marketplace.
Laura has reimagined premium tennis apparel by fusing ultra-chic tennis tailoring with pioneering sustainable fabric. A personal passion project, she grew up playing tennis and is passionate about how the sport unites people on the court. EXEAT's flattering silhouettes make women feel beautiful and supported, enabling them to play their best game.
Before EXEAT, Laura had a successful career in advertising, creating award-winning campaigns for brands such as Audi, Unilever, and British Airways. She also launched one of Europe's first influencer marketing agencies, TLA, which played an integral role in establishing the blueprint for the now £800Bn creator economy.
EXEAT was born out of Laura's experience playing tennis in Paris, where she couldn't find high-quality, premium tennis apparel. She returned to the UK and developed the brand, despite having no previous fashion manufacturing experience. EXEAT launched in 2021 to critical acclaim and serves today's female players with the highest-quality, ultra-flattering, and sustainably made tennis apparel.
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