In Business: The Pilates socks sparking conversations about Jesus

My day began at 6am with a Legs, Bums and Tums class alongside my gym buddy, Gillian. Like many women in our 40s, we’ve found ourselves on a mission to hold back the clock, signing up for as many health and wellbeing activities as our schedules allow. On the way home, Gillian mentioned a podcast she’d been listening to titled Can Yoga Be Christian? She shared how, for her, yoga creates a quiet space to reflect and pray. It got me wondering: could a fitness studio be holy ground too? Later that day, I met Grace for our interview, and she seemed to be living the answer.

A few weeks earlier, a Christian influencer I follow had posted a story from the gym, and I was immediately drawn to her socks, marked with a cross. My curiosity was piqued, and before long I was searching online for where to buy them, which led me to Grace Grips. How had someone brought together faith and Pilates in this way?

“It really all started with my love of Pilates after the birth of my third baby,” Grace tells me. “I needed to get my body moving, not just physically, but mentally too. I felt deconditioned and was getting aches and pains everywhere.”

Like countless women navigating early motherhood, she tried different forms of exercise, including resistance training and online Pilates during Covid, but nothing quite clicked. “I didn’t love doing a Pilates class online,” she admits. “But then I discovered reformer Pilates, and I absolutely loved it. The movement of the carriage, the social side, it just felt right.”

When her youngest started nursery, a small window of time opened up. “I had Thursday and Friday mornings free, and I wanted to do something for myself, something that I loved.” That desire led her to train as a Pilates teacher.

“Since then, it’s gone from strength to strength. I love meeting people, building relationships, and seeing women leave feeling stronger, like they’ve really accomplished something.”

But it was in the small details of studio life that a bigger idea began to form.

“I feel like grip socks are a bit like a fashion statement in Pilates,” she explains. “There are so many beautiful designs, coffee, matcha, flowers, but I wanted something that reflected who I am. I’m a Christian. My identity is in Jesus, my Saviour. And I couldn’t find any grip socks with a cross.”

What began as a simple idea quickly gathered momentum. “I mentioned it to my husband, and he told me to go for it. I showed a few friends, and they started asking for pairs too. From there, it just grew.”

“It felt natural,” she adds. “Like God was opening doors. He gave me the name very quickly: Grace Grips, not after me, but after the grace of God.” Even the practical details fell into place. “Everything, from the designs to the packaging, was new to me, but it all felt surprisingly straightforward.” Starting with just four designs, the response was immediate. “My husband has ended up managing the website as a side hustle he never asked for!”

Like many ventures rooted in purpose, Grace’s business has been shaped by prayer and community. She credits the encouragement of her church family, as well as inspiration from her sister-in-law Jess, who runs a Christian-led fitness studio blending movement with worship and Scripture. Watching her step of faith, and its impact, left a mark on Grace. So when the idea for the socks came, she turned to Jess.

“She encouraged me to try it. God wants Christians to be visible in all aspects of life. Maybe that’s why he’s calling us to be bolder in the health and wellness space.”

In an industry often shaped by trends and alternative spirituality, Grace is doing something quietly countercultural. She notes that practices such as using crystals are not uncommon, but she sees something deeper beneath it: a sense that people are searching. For Grace, that presents an opportunity. She is intentional about being a signpost to Jesus, even in something as simple as a pair of socks. For her, they’re more than a product. They’re an invitation. A conversation starter. Something that makes people pause and ask questions.

She recalls receiving a message from a customer who shared that people had approached her to ask about God after noticing the socks she was wearing. Moments like that, Grace says, affirm that something small can carry far greater significance.

A self-confessed Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders superfan, Grace also took a bold step and reached out to Reece Weaver. “I’ve never been that bold,” she admits. “But I remember thinking, I’d love God to use me like he uses her.” Reece responded almost immediately and later shared Grace Grips with her audience of more than one million followers. The ripple effect was remarkable. Others reached out, including Christian surfer Alyssa Spencer, while the socks have since appeared across different sporting worlds, from football to rugby.

What began as a small step of faith has grown into something far-reaching, connecting faith, sport and influence in ways Grace hadn’t imagined.

What began as a small step of faith has grown into something far-reaching, connecting faith, sport and influence in ways Grace hadn’t imagined. Her customer base now stretches across generations, with many mums buying them for their daughters, not for Pilates, but simply to wear with leggings.

At its heart, Grace Grips isn’t just about fitness; it’s about visibility. Living in a way that prompts curiosity so that, when people notice something different, it points them back to Jesus.

Looking ahead, Grace is trusting God with what comes next. Yet having built a strong customer base in just six months, the future already feels full of promise. Her advice to other Christian women is: “Be bold. I used to think people weren’t open to the gospel, but I’ve realised they are. People want to hear about God’s love.”

“The socks have been a powerful tool for sharing my testimony,” she reflects. “They break the ice and lead to conversations I wouldn’t have had otherwise.” It’s in those moments that Grace sees the true value of what she’s building, not in sales, but in conversation.

“When you give God your yes, he will take you on a wild adventure,” she says, holding onto the words of Matthew 5:14-16. For Grace, her light isn’t something to keep hidden. The real wealth of her business isn’t profit, but the lives and conversations it touches along the way.

While we may try to compartmentalise God, Grace’s story challenges that instinct. Faith isn’t confined to church; it spills into everyday spaces, perhaps even into places like a Pilates studio. As I think back to that question from earlier in the day, it no longer feels theoretical. Sitting across from Grace, the answer feels unmistakably real.

You can find out more about Grace Totten and her business, Grace Grips, at gracegrips.com or on Instagram @grace.grips.

Grace is giving Woman Alive readers a 15 per cent discount on her socks throughout August with the code WOMANALIVE15.