Searching for jiu-jitsu gear as a woman in BJJ can be frustrating at best and impossible at worst. While the selection of women’s BJJ Gis and rashguards has greatly improved over recent years, many athletes still struggle to find gear that’s specifically made to fit a woman’s body without being pink all over and covered in flowers or butterflies. Of course, that’s not to say that there’s anything wrong with letting your feminine flag fly on the mats, but many women also wanted options that were somewhere in the middle — the perfect combination of feminine and fierce, something that they felt embodied the fighting spirit they put forth during their training time. And a UK-based BJJ brand has delivered just that.
Rainha Fightwear, owned and founded by partners Josie White and Jon Wellstead, has been making itself known as a shop that operates with BJJ women in mind. The company offers a selection of training gear from gis to rashguards to sports bras to spats, plus everyday apparel and even finger tape. Their eye-catching designs are bold and empowering, evoking thoughts of goddesses and wild cats. They’re elegant without feeling dainty and feminine without feeling frilly.
We at GiReviews have been fans of Rainha for some time, particularly after getting the opportunity to take one of their early gi models for a test roll. Given that our only complaint about the gi was the fit, which was just a bit too short, we’re happy to see that they’ve since updated the fit on their newer model. Everything else about the gi was, well, everything you’d want in a gi. The style — predominantly black with gold and white details — is very aesthetically pleasing, with their minimalistic stitched-on floral logo being just the right touch to elevate the look of this gi.
We were also impressed with the gi’s longevity. It’s held up against numerous training sessions without a single loose thread or tear, and the colors are still surprisingly vibrant after multiple years and many tough rounds.
While the first model is no longer available, you can purchase the updated version of the original Rainha gi in black here, or in olive here.
The company has since come out with two other gis. The first is from their Empower line, which keeps with the business’ black, gold, and white theme and pairs beautifully with their rashguards and vale tudo shorts. This collection in particular seems to embody Rainha’s mission, especially when you know Josie’s backstory. In a 2017 Jiu-Jitsu Times article, Josie revealed that she’d begun her own jiu-jitsu journey after a “crappy and intimidating incident” near her home, which prompted Jon to encourage her to begin training. In addition to the standard struggles that come with being a woman (and a mother) in a male-dominated sport, Josie also lives and trains with fibromyalgia, which has caused chronic pain for nearly a decade. Still, Josie pushes on with determination and grace, striving for progress whenever possible and helping others along the way. It’s no great surprise that the Empower Collection reflects the same strength and shine displayed by one of the founders of the company.
The business’s latest collection, Wild, takes a more colorful approach to jiu-jitsu apparel with a vibrant spin on leopard print. As with the Empower line, Wild features both gi and no-gi apparel, all of which maintain a theme that’s feline and fabulous.
The Wild gi is predominantly black with colorful accents, including rainbow leopard-print lapels and a leopard face stitched onto each sleeve of the 450 GSM pearl weave jacket.
Colorful drawstring loops and a rainbow leopard face on the ripstop pants finish off the look on this gi, making it a piece of gear that will help you stand out from the crowd in the best way possible.
The no-gi Wild gear goes all-out with color, letting wearers bare their fangs on the mats from top to bottom. Made with lightweight material and featuring UV protection, they’re perfect for indoor or outdoor training, especially in the warm summer months.
Wild also features a sports bra, perfect for wearing under your training gear but cute enough to wear proudly while doing strength and conditioning or striking work. Like the other gear from the collection, the rainbow leopard theme shines bright on this bold piece of apparel.
Rainha has been bold from the beginning, and with their new launches, they’re showing their willingness to evolve in new ways, letting women express their sense of style and their sense of power on the mats. Given how much jiu-jitsu athletes have fallen in love with this brand since its inception, there’s no doubt that Rainha will continue to grow alongside the ever-increasing numbers of women on the mats. Personally, we can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with next.
You can check out Rainha’s full selection here.