As Autumn kicks in, it’s wonderful to get off the roads and hit the trails. This was the idea behind commissioning artist Fergus McHugh to add a Contours design to our popular Thorpe merino top and Thompson shorts.

As both an artist and a runner, Fergus was the perfect person to design our Contours Collection. We speak to him about his inspiration behind the design.

1) What do you love about running?

Having a pint afterwards.

I started about 3 years ago after a conversation in the pub that lead me to signing up to a marathon. I would like to say after that I was hooked, but to be totally honest I struggle to be enthusiastic about the day to day runs, until they are over. It clears my head, and puts things in perspective and is great time for thinking through problems. To quote a popular song from the 90s "it gives me a sense of enormous well-being”. 

I do enjoy running in new places though.

2) What's your favourite run? 

Any time I get to go somewhere new, preferably off road and in the country somewhere. I find it is a good way to explore new places and you get to see more than if you are walking. Running in different countries especially, just picking a direction and going and seeing what you can see. I would be happiest if I never ran the same route twice. 

3) Are there any athletes / runners you particularly admire and if so why

No one in particular, but I am in awe of elite runners that maintain the sort of pace that I could only dream of doing a mile in for entire marathons.

4) What inspired you to draw "Contours Man" for Like The Wind magazine?

It is a rather literal take on being at one with your surroundings, trying to convey the idea that when you are in the zone instinct takes over and you become part of the terrain you are running on.

5) How did you adapt your sketch for the Iffley Road Thompson shorts and Thorpe merino top? 

The Thorpe merino top was definitely the easier of the two, but the repeating pattern for the Thompson shorts proved fairly fiddly trying to get the contours to match up either side and getting the size relationship between the man and the rest of the contours. It took a few rounds of revisions and a lot of trial and error (as is often the case with these things), but I think it looks great on the product and you guys were a pleasure to work with.

6) Do you see any relationship between your craft and running?

They are both equally frustrating and rewarding. For every handful of slow difficult runs, there will be one good one that makes it seem worthwhile, and it always takes a lot of scrunched up paper and failed attempts at a design problem before the right one comes along. 

I guess the thing to take from it is stick with it and it will be rewarding!

See the Contours Collection here.