Beyoncé launches new activewear range

Who runs the world? Let's be honest. It's Beyoncé.

Queen Bey: singer, celebrity and all round girl-power icon, has released a first-look video for her new athleisure collection starring the pop-star herself and the collection's new name: Ivy Park - a mash-up of her daughter Blue Ivy Carter's middle name and the name of her management and company, Parkwood Entertainment.

In true Beyoncé style, the monochrome collection, with its back swimsuits and high tops with white piping and bold logos, does so much more than look glamorous. It's been designed as part of a joint venture with Topshop's Sir Philip Green to get girls moving and make them mentally and physically (and sartorially) stronger.

"My goal with Ivy Park is to push the boundaries of athletic wear and to support and inspire women who understand that beauty is more than your physical appearance," Beyoncé said. "True beauty is in the health of our minds, hearts, and bodies. I know that when I feel physically strong, I am mentally strong and I wanted to create a brand that made other women feel the same way.”

In a video announcing the collaboration, the singer said: ”I would wake up in the morning and my dad would come knocking on my door, telling me it's time to go running. I remember wanting to stop, but I would push myself to keep going. It taught me discipline, and I would think about my dreams. I would think about the sacrifices my parent made for me. I would think about my little sister, and how I was her hero."

The new collection includes items that are quintessentially Beyoncé: from the lycra shorts that highlight the singer's powerful thighs to the range's full body swimsuits. The sweatpants and grey print hoodies, however, go someway to establishing a new phase in the singer's style.

"There are things I'm still afraid of," says the singer. "When I have to conquer those things I still go back to that park [Parkwood Park, where the young Beyoncé went running with her father]. Before I hit the stage, I go back to that park. When it was time for me to give birth, I go back to that park. The park became my strength. The park is what made me who I am. Where is your park?".

The full spring/summer 16 collection will arrive on 14 April at stores including Topshop, Net-a-Porter and Selfridges.