January is all about getting fit, so we talk to fitness style expert, Heike Schnell, founder of Wellicious to find out all about her inspiration behind the brand and what it’s like balancing being a business woman and a mum.
The London based brand, Wellicious offers a holistic platform to yoga, Pilates, health and wellness, ensuring you look and feel stylish whilst you work out.
You launched Wellicious in 2007, what was your inspiration behind the brand?
I was practising yoga and looking around when I realised everyone’s clothing was either super stylish, but impractical, or was very functional, but unflattering. That was where the main idea for Wellicious came from; we combine practical fitness wear with fashionable designs that are flattering and luxurious. Initially I travelled to China to start looking at production, however after my trip I realised that Wellicious would be a better brand for the earth if I considered an eco-friendly and ethical path. This is also now why we produce everything in Europe, using only fair labour and have the official GOTS certification (Global Organic Textile Standard).
Being the founder of a stylish wellbeing brand, can you tell our readers what is your daily fitness regime?
I normally get up around 6am, or when my three daughters wake me up. I believe the best time to wake is around sunrise, the extra hours you gain are simply invaluable and provide me with the chance to do yoga. I practice 20 minutes of yoga, including breathing exercises and meditation, every morning. This increases my daily concentration and allows me to be relaxed for the day ahead. After my headstands I feel great and ready to rumble.
Many yoga studios offer early morning classes (triyoga.co.uk, indabayoga.com or thelifecentre.com) so you can also practice before work or you can practice at home using our Wellicious DVD featuring internationally renowned Yoga teacher Gabriela Bozic (wellicious.com).
Do you work with industry fitness professionals when designing the collections?
In our head office in Notting Hill, we have our own yoga & Pilates studio where we often ask our Wellicious Brand Ambassadors to come and try out our new collections and to give us feedback, before we put the styles into production. Our Brand Ambassadors are experienced teachers of yoga and/or Pilates and therefore really understand the necessary requirements that the clothing must adhere too. This allows us to feel confident that our products are perfect for when practising yoga and Pilates.
How is Wellicious influenced by the current SS14 trends?
Having worked for luxury brands for many years, I drew inspiration from my experience and combined it with my love for yoga to create the Wellicious brand. Today our in house design team are still very much influenced by colour and trends from the catwalk, incorporating beautiful design details with high end eco-friendly fabrics.
Our new contemporary SS14 collection is subtly inspired by 80’s dancewear with our Shake it Pants and Mesh Tank Top; forming a celebration of the Age of strong and active women. We have also embraced the invigorating colours of spring, so look out for the bursts of Fresh Apple, Mandarin, Poppy Red and Chocolate.
How important is it for Wellicious to be ethically produced, using sustainable materials?
It is really important to us, as I mentioned before it really became one of the key factors when creating Wellicious. I am super proud to also announce that all of our Organic Cotton is now officially GOTS certified. As an eco-friendly brand, we also really believe that looking after the environment we work in is key to the happiness of future generations, and we also love the fact our customers believe the same. Not only do we care about where our fabrics are produced, we also care for the people who create our garments. With all of our products made in Europe, we do regular checks on our factories to ensure fair labour is in place and the standards of the work places are high quality.
Can you give our readers any insight on any exciting projects or collaborations you might be working on now or the future?
We have been working with some exciting celebrities in New York and the UK and have had a lot of great feedback about our brand. We are also releasing a few new products in AW14, including our favourite lavender eye masks. Stay tuned for more exciting projects to come your way.
Wellicious has quite the celebrity following, with fans such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Dannii Minogue. What are the Wellicious hero items no celeb is without?
The favourite would have to be the Soft Bra or the Wellicious Catsuit. Made from soft organic cotton (GOTS certified), the Catsuit can easily be dressed up for a smart appearance, or it is also perfect for a quick change when practising in the studio. Many of our celebrity followers, including Abbey Clancey, have invested in a few of the catsuits as they are such a staple piece to any wardrobe and its sumptuously soft fabric and great support gives the practical yet stylish look which is so often required on a day-to-day basis.
What advice would you give readers who want to start their own business?
The best thing is to be confident, although not every step will be perfect and it may be difficult at times, if you really believe in your product you are more likely to succeed. Also it is important to make sure you do not try to cover too much at one time, start the business idea small and then it will become easier to grow once you have started. It is better to have a strong foundation focusing on one idea which has the potential to grow, rather than a weak base focusing on lots of ideas.
You have a Peruvian heritage, how has this influenced you in creating Wellicious?
Wellicious is a charitable brand and therefore I felt it was really important to relate back to my Peruvian roots, especially as giving back is very important to me. Being of Peruvian origin, the SOS Children’s Village in Peru is a charity that is very close to my heart. Each Wellicious employee sponsors their own child from one of the orphanages and the company also gives a percentage of its profits to support the organisation each season. As well as this, we often opt for very colourful pieces in our collections, which reflect on my Peruvian Heritage.
What advice would you give to new mums wanting to shift the baby weight quickly and healthily?
The first thing is to realise that everybody is different, and whilst losing baby weight may be super-fast for some, for others it may be a slower process. Try not to let this frustrate you out, as you will find that the process becomes even slower. Embrace the fact you have a beautiful baby and that baby weight is just a normal stage to pregnancy.
My main advice would be to complete a detox with Nosh Detox; it’s packed full of healthy fruits and vegetables which boost your immune system and push you on your way to a healthier body. I also found it useful to take Ayurvedic herbs and to follow their great advice when it comes to weight loss. I would also recommend that you brush your body all over with a big body brush, to enable your skin to become firm again.
Exercise is obviously also key, so try and walk where ever you can. Not only do walks help you with weight loss they are also great to help you and the baby relax and enjoy fresh air together. The main thing which helped me was practising 20 minutes of yoga each morning whilst the baby would sleep, if you can’t get out to a yoga class, we have our Wellicious yoga DVD as I previously mentioned, which is perfect for short sessions in the comfort of your own home.
As a working mother, what do you do to relax and unwind?
I love spending time with my children and husband, but to relax I love to have my weekly reflexology massage with Lydia Smith (www.theindigotree.co.uk) or having a chilled meditation session is always great to remove any stress from the working day! I also use Wellbeing escapes to choose the best retreats and spa holidays (wellbeingescapes.com) or Destination Yoga for the best Yoga based retreats and holidays (destinationyoga.co.uk). I also love Lime Wood Hotel for its magnificent views from their sauna, they are simply breath-taking.
When you are not busy working, what do you enjoy doing with the family?
I have three beautiful young daughters, who mean the world to me and therefore I always make sure we spend quality time together. I love baking sweet treats or healthy snacks with them and it’s so great to be able to sit and laugh with them. We also love to take long walks in the park, my favourite would have to be around Hyde Park where the children can run, play and just be free. You get a real sense of freedom and relaxation from being outdoors and enjoying fresh air.
Living in London, what are your favourite restaurants, shops and cafes?
There are so many great places to eat in London, so this is difficult. I would say my favourite restaurant would have to be the Peruvian Kitchen; Ceviche in Soho. The atmosphere is just so vibrant and alive, the staff are great and the food is super delicious. I also love to indulge in a Pisco Sours every so often. I also love to visit Lima in the Soho area which is another restaurant with great Peruvian cuisine. They both allow me to feel a step closer to home. Most days when I am at the Wellicious office in Notting Hill, I pop over to Planet Organic as they also have an amazing menu full of healthy, organic food to try. They also create the best fresh juices which help boost my energy and vitamin levels; with most of the office enjoying them on a daily basis.
Can you give our readers some energy boosting tips on how to fight the January blues?
I think the first tip would be to make sure you are getting enough sleep; a stress free life starts with a rested body. The best preparation for sleep is to practice 20 minutes of Yoga Nidra when lying in bed. Yoga Nidra will help you calm your busy mind and drop fully into your body, inducing a deep sense of peace and relaxation. Secondly, although it may sound obvious, drinking water is essential to help your body detox and clear out any bad toxins.
Swap the can of fizzy, for a glass of water and you’re already one step closer to a healthier you. Adding a few drops of fresh lemon juice is also a great way to purify the body and get rid of the hormones and toxins which can sit in the liver. After the busy Christmas season, it is also a great idea to try and kick January off with healthy eating. Someone once said to me ‘What you put in, you become’ and I found this to be very true. Eat light, easy-to-digest food that will give you energy. A meal should ideally have a good balance of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and fats. Fresh fruits, vegetables, pulses, grains, some dairy products are all on my list for a healthy meal.
To start shopping, visit www.wellicious.com
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