The Irish singer said he was “delighted” by the ambitions of the young Dublin-based brand
(Picture: PR Image)One Direction singer Niall Horan has bought a minority stake in Irish-based “athleisure” brand Gym+Coffee, which opened its first UK store inside Westfield in October and is now planning further expansion around the UK.
The company said the singer has come on board "with the aim to support the business and to help raise the profile of the brand internationally as it enters an exciting period of growth".
Gym+Coffee told the Standard it plans to open three new stores around Britain within the next 12 months "due to significant demand". The exact locations are yet to be confirmed.
The brand, which launched in 2017 and sells items including high-end sportswear and sweatshirts, previously secured Irish rugby player Brian O’Driscoll is already an early investor. Professed fans include lockdown exercise star Joe Wicks.
The Irish singer said that when he first came across the company he was "struck at how a young brand from Ireland was starting to make an impact on the international market". He said he has "started to understand their ambition" and hopes to "bring the brand to a wider audience".
Gym+Coffee chief executive, Niall Horgan, said the similarly-named pop star "is what we aspire to become as a business".
"We hope that with his guidance and direction Gym+Coffee can emulate some of the success he’s had and proudly represent Ireland internationally," Horgan said.
The market for so-called “athleisure” wear - high end sports clothing worn throughout the day - has soared since the pandemic hit as millions of office workers began working from home.
