5 minutes with Style Sportif
How did you get into fashion?
Style Sportif was co-founded by me and my friend Jemma Bolt. The idea for Style Sportif came to me whilst training for the London Marathon in 2014. After sustaining an injury, I tried to find a pair of compression leggings to wear on race day. Despite searching both online and in major sportswear retailers, I couldn’t find any compression leggings that were both technical and stylish! Although there were many mainstream brands in the market, I struggled to find a website that offered a curated choice of premium fitness brands, all in one place. I discussed my problems finding a one stop shop for stylish workout gear with my friend Jemma Bolt, and the idea for Style Sportif was born.
Jemma’s background as co-founder of styling company Bang Tidy Styling made her the perfect partner for Style Sportif. Jemma has previously worked as a buyer for a high-end, award winning retailer, and continues to work as a presenter hosting high profile events such as The British Olympic Ball and Vogue’s Fashion Night Out. She has styled projects including music videos, commercials, editorials and VIP red carpet dressing as well as one-to-one personal styling and wardrobe makeovers, so she really understands products and trends.
By combining Jemma’s eye for fashion and my passion for exercise, we set out to source the most fashion-forward and stylish activewear brands from around the world!
What’s it like being in the fitness fashion industry?
It’s great being part of the fitness fashion industry, especially as the area is growing all the time! With so many new brands coming onto the market each year, it means we are able to continually source the most stylish activewear for our customers. We especially love the trend towards athleisure, with designers creating clothes that crossover between gym and everyday wear – being able to wear our activewear at all times is the way forward!
How would you describe your brand?
Style Sportif offers a curated collection of both mainstream and new cutting edge activewear brands, all in one place. The range of sportsluxe labels bridges the crossover between gym kit and every day wear, allowing customers to source activewear that offers a true reflection of their personality, without compromising on performance.
What inspired your designs? n/a
Why should we buy your products instead of any other sportswear brands?
We offer 23 brands all in one place – everything from leggings, to yoga mats, to water bottles – so we believe we offer our customers a great selection of activewear products, many of which are exclusive to Style Sportif!
How do you start your day?
I start my day with a hot water and lemon, followed by a coffee, which I have whilst going through emails and orders that have come in overnight. Once I’ve had my coffee I then put on my gym kit and do a workout – when I’m at home this is either a run, or a high intensity workout, such as Freeletics or Kayla Itsines’ BBG, both of which are great for doing at home! I love exercising in the mornings, I always find it’s when I can push myself hardest, and if I leave it till the end of the day I end up running out of time!
Would you say you’re healthy, if yes, why is this important to you?
Both Jemma and I are healthy - eating well and being active are really important to us, as staying healthy keeps us feeling good and brings a whole load of other health benefits, such as better digestion and a boosted immune system. But we also believe in balance – we like to have a glass of wine in the evenings, and certainly wouldn’t deprive ourselves of a nice meal out! If you are too restrictive you just end up falling off the wagon, so it’s all about everything in moderation.
When are you at your happiest?
We both love spending time with friends and family, and doing things that we enjoy, whether that is an exercise class or a holiday! Jemma also has a one-year daughter, Poppy, and spending time with her makes her very happy!
What exercise do you do and how often?
It can vary depending on what else I have on during the week, but around 3-4 times a week is average. If I am struggling to fit in a workout I at least try and get some walking in by getting off the tube a couple of stops early – walking is great as a form of LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) cardio.
Any clothing tips for those getting into exercise?
Wear something that performs well and feels as good as it looks! It is definitely important to feel good in your activewear, as this will give you confidence when you are starting out, however some brands look amazing but sadly don’t have the technical specifications to see you through an intense workout.
Where do you see your brand in the future?
We have big plans for Style Sportif! We want to continue sourcing both new and well established activewear brands, so that we can become the number one online retailer for stylish activewear in the UK and Europe. We also want to keep expanding on our lifestyle blog, thereby creating a sense of community for our customers and providing great content and information for them about living a stylish and healthy life!
What’s next for you professionally?
We have several pop ups planned throughout 2016, as well as teaming up with fitness professionals to offer some exciting one off events to our customers. We have new brands and stock arriving in February, which we are very excited about! The best way for people to keep up to date with all our news is to sign up for our newsletter – plus customers get 10% off their first order by signing up!
For more information about Style Sportif and the products they sell, visit their website.
