MARLI JESSOP MAKES THE SECONDS COUNT

Marli Jessop runs the 60m hurdles in 8.25 seconds, 100m hurdles in 13.22 seconds. A Google search of her name will provide you with an archive of times, distances, and locations: incredible human feats distilled into numbers and decimal places. They present the scientific truth of an already impressive career but that’s not the whole truth. Off the track, Marli is a talented artist, and it’s in this other life that she finds her edge.

First a gymnast, then a sprinter, and finally a hurdler because the lack of obstacles made sprinting boring, Marli has always trusted her instinct, following her heart across disciplines from athletics to art. As we launch END. LABEL, we call on names who embody the core values of the collection; Identity and personal style come first for Marli just as they do in our first full collection.

In our chat, Marli talks sport as art, family fashion shows, and style that makes you look twice.

In your life as an athlete, the things you wear are purpose-made for movement and function. Does this affect the way you approach clothing in everyday life?

After spending hours in lycra, there’s something nice about putting on something completely impractical just because it looks good. The question I hate getting asked when I’m undecided about an outfit is which one is more comfortable… Like I care about comfort. I just want to look cool and that’s it.

Art and athletics are very different, it’s an uncommon path to take. Does it give you an edge? 

They’re actually more connected than people realise. For my final degree exhibition at university, I asked the question “Can sport be perceived as art?” and the truth is that both are about precision, repetition, and trusting the process. With track, you’re constantly analysing tiny details in a physical way; Art is the same but in a visual way. The edge it gives me is that it allows me to see the bigger picture, quite literally. There’s a talent in being able to take a step back and not to stress about the seconds but to live for the journey instead.

Your art has featured on your running sleeves before. How important is it to spotlight your identity and stand out while competing?

For me personally, it’s the most important thing. I like to say I live in a fashion-show family and not everyone does. What I mean by this is that I have paraded every outfit I’ve worn since I was like seven in front of my family like I’m on Top Model. With track, everyone is wearing the same kit because of clubs and sponsors, so to everyone else it’s just a race, but for me it’s another runway. If you want to be noticed in this sport, you have to have an identity, and the running sleeves were a way to do that before UK Athletics banned them at nationals. But, you know, what is art without controversy? You only get to see me for a few seconds, so I have to make it memorable.

What's Your favourite piece of clothing you’ve owned? Any standout memories of that piece?

This is a hard question because a lot of looks spring to mind, but one moment that sticks with me is my revenge dress. After being dumped over text the night before, I was left to go by myself to auction one of my paintings for a charity event. I opted for a black mesh cut-out maxi dress and just that. Believe it or not, that wasn’t the moment, it was at the end of the night that an older lady approached me and said, “Cracking dress by the way.” That is what I do it for, not any man, but for queens like that. If I’m not still dressing like this when I’m 70, I’ll be sure to tell another woman that her dress is fire before leaving a function. 

Who has had the biggest impact on your style?

I can’t narrow it down to one person. In my dream world, I’ll be doing what Naomi Osaka is doing in tennis—the more outrageous the better. On a regular day, I like jumping between masculine and feminine looks; I’m always trying to keep it hot, but with that classic sporting feel. I like a good basic, but I also want something that makes you look twice. I’m not a very trend-led person, so I’m just trying to wear whatever inspires me most at the time; that could be a person or could even something as simple as a colour. Ultimately, my mum gets the last say anyway.

Trends come and go, but what’s one thing that you will make sure you always have in your wardrobe?

My initial answer was going to be a good shoe. I love boots or kitten heels. I could do with the extra inches apparently, but if I’m being completely honest, I have no fashionable answer for this. The thing that will always be in my wardrobe, from now until I’m 80, is going to be a dressing gown.