I came across Track & Bliss a while back and have been counting down the days until this very cool American activewear brand comes over to the UK market. This day is nearly upon us with the brand being stocked via the online multibrand Matches in December. I caught up with the creative director Luciana to find out more about the story behind the brand and what inspires them to create such stunning silhouettes.
Why did you decide to
start Track and Bliss and what do you love about you job?
Before I started Track
& Bliss I used to own a dress line for 7 years. At that time I participated
in a reality show in the USA called Fashion Star. The objective of the show was
to find the next big name in fashion and the winner was guaranteed a contract
with retailers: Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's and H&M. This was a dream for me
to have such a wonderful opportunity! I ended up putting so much pressure on
myself though that I started experiencing a lot of anxiety which lead to
constant panic attacks. At that point I decided to step back and focus on
myself and getting better. I started practicing yoga, going to the gym, eating
healthy, and breathing into each moment. In this process I fell in love with
this new lifestyle change that brought me back stability, hope and peace
within.
Being a creative
person I couldn't help to notice that a lot of activewear available was lacking
some form of special element. Everyone looked the same and I felt that
something was missing. I started getting ideas of a more fashion-forward
approach that would still offer functionality in the workout space but
look chic, cool and on point to wear in any other space. I developed a small
capsule collection consisting of only 7 pieces and launched a Kickstarter
campaign to test the product and raise capital for this new endeavour.
What inspires your
designs and what's your ethos behind the brand?
I am constantly
looking at what is happening in the world. I get inspired by the trends, colour
stories and novelties in high fashion and try to translate that into
activewear. I look at for all sorts of fabrics and find ways to make them
work for activewear. The key for me is to try to stay as far away from everything
I see in the activewear space in order to create something that is different
and unique.
Describe a day in the
life of Luciana ?
Since I wear so many
different hats in my business my usual day changes constantly based on what is
urgent at the moment.
For instance my usual
day right before presenting a new collection to the buyer is pretty intense.
Wake up at 6 A.M and design, create patterns and samples till I get the style
where it needs to be. I finish this process around 2 A.M. Wake up the next day
and do it all over again. This is crunch time for me and I try to not get
distracted from anything except getting the collection ready.
I also travel a lot to
the manufacturing sites to make sure that the production is on point. I might
spend anywhere from 1 week to 1 month there to go over details, explain and
show sewing technique or specification that the product needs. I learned that
communication is key and one can never assume that people are going to
understand our standards because they are evident to us. It is crucial to get
your point of view across loud and clear to avoid quality problems in
production.
On a regular basis I
also have to attend to clients, sales, logistics and PR and pay close attention
to all these different aspects of the business that require attention.
Where do you sweat and
what's your favourite form of fitness?
I try to get a workout
in 3-4 times a week. I cant workout by myself and I really like group fitness
classes! I'm a member at Equinox and my favourite classes there are Barre
and Dance. I also do Pilates, Bootcamp and weight training. The key
for me is to mix up my workouts to keep it interesting. I really enjoy my time
working out and I think that is the most important thing, to find an activity
you love that keeps you coming back to the gym.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to start a brand?
I think the smartest
advice I can give to someone wanting to start a brand is first and foremost to
have a clear picture of what their brand will be and what its going to stand
for. Start small and set achievable goals that take your business further. At
this point you will learn a lot of what works, what doesn't work and learn from
your mistakes. Anything is achievable but it takes a lot of hard work and determination
and having a lot of guts to fight through the challenges.
Since I was a little
girls my father used to always say to me: "When the going gets tough, the
tough get going". I guess that phrase really sums it up.
Five items you can't
live without?
1- Track & Bliss
Leggings
2- My cellphone
3- Music
4- Coffe
5- Sewing machines!
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