The 400 or so employees of York's Perform Group might be excused for having divided loyalties when they watch the 2012 Olympics, which start this week in London. That's because the company's Alpha Factor division made the uniforms for the Russian men's and women's gymnastics team and the men's trampoline and tumbling teams.
Bosco, a Russian apparel brand, approached Perform in May to design and develop custom garments emblazoned with the Russian coat of arms and various patriotic red and white patterns. The women’s team will sport eight different leotards — six from Alpha Factor’s catalog and two custom designs adorned with Swarovski crystals. The men’s team will wear two different custom designed uniforms.
Perform and Alpha Factor are old hands at Olympics garments. Since supplying the Russian gymnasts in 1992, athletes from Venezuela, Ireland, Jamaica, Bermuda, Mexico, Canada, Japan, Norway and the Czech Republic have sported Alpha Factor leotards and garments. An especially proud point is that the women's gymnastics team that won gold in Atlanta 1996 was wearing Alpha Factor leotards. “Of course we are always rooting for the U.S. team,” says Wendy Martin, Alpha Factor's business manager, “but I think Russia is hoping for the same luck that we brought to the 1996 USA team when they won their first and only gold team medal.”
CEO Tighe King founded Perform 43 years ago; besides gymnastics wear for workouts and competitions, the company also specializes in dancewear. Its corporate office and warehouse are in York and its plant is in East Prospect.
Source: Wendy Martin, Alpha Factor
Writer: Elise Vider