//OUT Incorporated is the latest in a slew of brands offering a luxury take on activewear. Hoping to blur the line between fashion and fitness, the brand was created by three former Sephora executives: Leah Hundsness, Libby Amelia and Lauren Gill. The debut collection, which launched a few months ago, is focused just as much on functional pieces as it is on transitional ones (i.e., ones to take you from the gym to the bar) and all are made using high-performance fabrics. In a nod to OUT’s far-reaching appeal, it’s already stocked at retailers like Equinox and Fred Segal and has been spotted on Dita Von Teese, Mindy Kaling, Jennifer Lopez and Jaimie Alexander. We spoke with the three founders to learn more about this budding label.
theFashionSpot: What made you guys come together to start the brand?
OUT Incorporated: We all worked for Sephora for a number of years and were constantly surprised by the number of innovations in beauty. When we talked about fashion, however, we noticed that the same innovation in fabrics and uses were not so obvious. In fact, the high street trend has arguably created a shift away from focus on fabrics and construction. We all enjoy keeping fit and healthy, however, [and] noticed that for some reason, fashion and fitness were viewed as mutually exclusive. We wanted to change that. OUT is our call to women to get more “out” of their wardrobe. By not limiting the use of our garments as seems to be the trend, we encourage women to WORK//OUT, STRETCH//OUT, BREATHE//OUT and GO//OUT in style.
tFS: Is it hard to work together? Do you have separate defined responsibilities?
OI: We are very consciously working against the “corporate norms” when it comes to roles and responsibilities. We have a framework to ensure the work gets done, however, we are firm believers in nourishing our individual talents and being honest about our weaknesses. This creates a more solid platform for us to succeed. Rather than super-conspicuous titles to lean on, we keep each other accountable for our more “earthy” roles in the business. Lauren is “get it organized,” Libby is “get it done” and Leah is “get it right.”
tFS: What has been the biggest challenge from jumping from beauty to activewear?
OI: We have had a number of challenges, like any new business. However, the biggest challenge for us has been that we want things to happen fast. After working in the corporate world, we are used to having a host of people to get behind our ideas. Having your own business is absolutely liberating, however, you have to be willing to get your hands dirty to maintain the momentum.
tFS: Activewear has exploded in the last few years — what are you doing to make your designs stand out?
OI: Being so entrenched in the corporate world, we were conscious of the constant wardrobe changes we made every day. We wanted to design garments which could literally take you from a day at the office to a flight to Bangkok to a walk on the treadmill…we care about our fitness and have always had a penchant for fashion and beauty given our backgrounds, however, the garb currently available on the market certainly wasn’t able to deliver what we were looking for. We also wanted to hit the gym in items sans the motivational motif and lime green detail. We wanted to stand out and show women it is OK to be sexy.
tFS: Many people are still wary of spending a lot of money on workout clothes, so how do you justify the price?
OI: California has a certain laid-back cool, which we just fell in love with. The lifestyle is perfect for our aesthetic as women want to have clothing which looks fashion-forward, however, is resilient enough to withstand the knocks, spills and wear associated with everyday life as well as working out. For a long time, women have become accustomed to wearing activewear outside the gym. You just have to look inside any cafe, in the malls on the weekend or at school drop-off to notice that women have fallen in love with the flexibility of activewear. What we wanted to stop, however, was the apologies. Many times we have heard women confess, “So sorry about the gym attire…” It inspired us to create a line which has a directional edge and forces the question, “What is fashion versus fitness?”
tFS: How do you balance design and function when coming up with new designs?
OI: Our process is one of collaboration. The three of us design together in order to make sure we are considerate of various aesthetics and body shapes. We also do a great deal of research into fabric technology. All of our garments are performance grade; they’re breathable, wick away moisture, are antimicrobial and most importantly, all are machine washable. No dry cleaning required here!
tFS: You just launched for Fall 2014 and the clothes have already been spotted on celebrities — how did those opportunities come about and did you notice a correlation with sales?
OI: We have been very fortunate to have garnered a good following for our little brand. We love working with anyone who is willing to make a statement when it comes to their activewear. One of our most important collaborations and partnerships, however, has been with our trainers. We have had some fabulous and fashionable fitness trainers, including Katherine Greiner and Lisa Pruett, wear our garments. This is important to us as a fashion label whose heart really does lie in the gym.
tFS: What are the most important things to consider when shopping for activewear?
