5am alarms, padel, prizes, pizza, cocktails, waffles and a few very competitive moments...
When the alarm went off at 5am on July 25th, we definitely questioned our life choices for a split second.
But with the car packed up with Twenty Ten Collective kit and a long drive ahead, we set off for PadelStars Chigwell for the centre's official opening - and it turned out to be a day well worth getting up early for.
The sun was shining, the courts were busy and there was a brilliant atmosphere from the moment we arrived.
Welcome to PadelStars Chigwell
The day marked the official opening of PadelStars Chigwell, and we were lucky enough to be there to experience it all.
There was plenty happening throughout the day, from Americano tournaments and competitions to food, drinks and, of course, lots and lots of padel.
We even got to see the official ribbon cutting, marking the opening of the new centre - definitely one of those moments that made the 5am start feel worthwhile!
Twenty Ten Collective on the court (and off it!)
We set up our very own Twenty Ten Collective pop-up, giving visitors the chance to browse some of our favourite pieces in person.
From performance tops to everyday staples, it was great to see our collection out in the real world - rather than its usual home on a laptop screen!
There's something particularly satisfying about seeing people pick up the clothes, have a proper look at the details and try things on. We might be slightly biased, but we thought the collection looked pretty good against a backdrop of blue padel courts too.
Americano tournaments & a few very happy winners
The courts were buzzing throughout the day, with Americano tournaments giving players the chance to battle it out and see who could come out on top.
We were lucky enough to help celebrate by presenting prizes to the winning duo.
There were plenty of smiles, a few celebrations and, some very competitive matches!
And naturally, we couldn't spend an entire day surrounded by padel courts without having a go ourselves...
Hit It To Win It 🎯
Because apparently simply setting up a clothing pop-up wasn't enough for us.
We had to put our own padel skills to the test.
Let's just say that we're much more confident when it comes to designing and making the kit than we are when it comes to guaranteeing where a padel ball is going to land.
There may have been some questionable technique.
There may also have been a tiny bit of competitiveness.
We had fun. That's what counts.
Pizza, waffles & cocktails? Yes please.
As if the padel wasn't enough, the opening celebrations came complete with pizza, waffles and cocktails.
And when we say it was hot, we mean hot.
The sun was absolutely doing its thing, which made the combination of padel, summer drinks and a very welcome plate of food even better.
It felt less like a typical day at work and more like we'd accidentally stumbled into the perfect summer Saturday.
Not that we're complaining.
And then came the VIPs... 🐶
No great event is complete without some four-legged guests.
A few of the PadelStars team's dogs came along to join the celebrations, and naturally, they became an immediate highlight of the day.
Were they interested in padel?
Probably not.
Were they interested in making friends and generally being adorable?
Absolutely.
We're fairly sure they stole the show.
A day we'll definitely remember
By the time it was time to pack everything away, we'd been awake for what felt like approximately 72 hours.
But tiredness aside, it was a brilliant day.
We got to see the official opening of a brand-new padel centre, meet some great people, watch plenty of padel, hand out prizes, get involved in the competitions and introduce more people to Twenty Ten Collective.
And, of course, there was pizza.
We're not saying the pizza was the highlight... but we're also not saying it wasn't.
A huge congratulations to everyone involved in bringing PadelStars Chigwell to life. It's a fantastic space, and we were delighted to be there to celebrate the official opening.
Now, where's that 5am alarm?
We'll need a lie-in before the next one. 🎾