The future-facing US activewear brand sold exclusively at John Lewis & Partners
THE IDEA THAT OUR WORKOUT CLOTHES BELONG IN THE GYM and the gym alone is one straight out of the history books. Certainly in 2020, such a notion has been turned on its head with most of us considering supremely comfortable leggings and great fitting sports bras to be our armour for modern life.
Athleta – a fitness and lifestyle brand which lands from the US this month – lives and breathes this idea, empowering women through versatile and practical activewear. The label’s extensive collections span everything from leggings to tanks, jumpsuits to swimwear, with each product created with genuine consideration for the woman who will take it home.
“Women are active and busy. We respect her and her time”
‘Women are active and busy, so we respect her and her time,’ says Jana Henning, Athleta’s head of product. ‘We give her wardrobe solutions that allow her to not think, “What will I wear?”, “Does this match?”, “Can I wear this to drop the kids off and also work?”. We give our customers time and confidence to take on whatever they face in their day.’
Among its offerings you’ll find clothing options for everything from running to yoga to trail biking. More crucially perhaps, you’ll find versatile activewear that works for those for whom a dash to the school gates, followed by a day working from home, is very much a reality.
Jana’s promise manifests in the details – big and small. Athleta’s dedication to the use of innovative high-quality fabrics – formulated to provide a winning balance of compression and comfort – is among its greatest assets.
“We’re an activewear company of women designing products for women. There’s so much power in that”
There are also clever design flourishes such as the brand’s signature stash pocket, which features in its best selling Salutation leggings. If you’ve ever headed out for a yoga class with nowhere to store your phone and house keys you’ll understand why practical twists like this have helped put this brand on the map.
For your workout wardrobe or indeed, for your every day one, Athleta’s signature pieces can act as a sort of wearable comfort blanket. The tank tops – available in versatile shades of powder pink and a warm navy blue – will bring joy beyond the pilates mat, while the brand’s growing line of run-ready jackets strike a balance between practicality and style.
Athleta is about more than a decent gym kit, though. A dedication to respecting and supporting the women who wear its clothing is what sets the brand apart. ‘We’re an activewear company of women designing products for other women, and there’s so much power in that,’ confirms Jana.
Accordingly, encouraging real-life experience from women of all ages and body types is a crucial part of the Athleta story – particularly where size and fit is concerned. ‘The reality is you can’t equate numbers to the female body and the way our bodies change,’ says Jana.
A determination to empower the many women who work within Athleta’s ranks is further proof of its dedication to being a future-facing brand. The company operates a social development program through which its predominantly female factory workforce is supported in creating a better future for themselves and their communities. Athleta is switched on to the needs of the planet, too, with sustainable and recycled fabrics a driving force in its collections.
The culmination of this social and environmental dedication is Athleta’s hard earned certification as a B Corporation – a certification that’s no mean feat to achieve. Certified B businesses are a modern phenomenon which work hard to balance purpose with financial gains. To earn its ‘B’ status, a brand must consider the impact of all of its decisions on everyone it affects – from the customers to its lowest profile workers. The result is a community of truly modern businesses striving to create a positive change. Undoubtedly, Athleta is a brand that works as hard as you do.
