63MIX ROUTIN3S | JOEY LAWRENCE

Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S | Joey Lawrence in mag.

9LIST STORI3S | ALLYSON FANGER

Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST STORI3S | Allyson Fanger in mag.

A&W ROOT BEER FLOATS FOR LIFE FOR CENTENARIANS+

 This year, A&W Restaurants is celebrating their 105th Birthday and they are doing it with Granfluencer, Baddiewinkle along with a great deal for one of the greatest generations. One of America’s oldest franchises starting this month will give anyone over 100 years old a free Root Beer Float for life! When we think about A&W we think of their hotdogs, floats, being outside and enjoying this combo together whether you’re with friends or family and a great sense of nostalgia!

On Jun 20th, 1919 Roy W Allen co-founded and opened his first restaurant in Lodi, California during a homecoming celebration for WWI veterans. All of these years later, the iconic floats continue to be used and enjoyed in their frosty glass mugs. In addition, the brand supports military veterans in its ongoing work with Disabled American Veterans. These free floats for life for centurians represent over 108,000 people in the US and the brand wants to support this generation of people. The brand partnered with 2 people of this group who are both WWII veterans 104 year old Hazel Calloway and 100 year old Glendell Bennett. By partnering with Baddiewinkle who is 95, they can continue to spread their message through her millions of social media as she shows how her personal style and love for life is something that she embraces to the fullest!

Although this social influencer is not of age to partake in this lifetime promotion, those who are qualifying customers can visit any A&W franchise with identification in order to have their Root Beer Float! For those who are over 13 and not 100, you can get a free Root Beer Float every year on your birthday. Of course as we continue to navigate Summer energy, you can enjoy great classics including burgers and cheese curds by joining Rooty’s Mug Club.

THE 9LIST 9M3NU

Read the MAY ISSUE #94 of Athleisure Mag and see THE 9LIST | 9M3NU in mag.

THE 9LIST

Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag and see THE 9LIST in mag.

9PLAYLIST | SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA

Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | Swedish House Mafia in mag.

9LOOKS | GUCCI

Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LOOKS | Gucci in mag.

IN OUR BAG | FOR A WALK IN THE CITY

Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag and see IN OUR BAG | For a Walk in the City in mag.

#TRIBEGOALS

Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag and see #TRIBEGOALS in mag.

THE WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN 2024

On May 1st - May 5th, the 2024 SBD World’s Strongest Man took place in Myrtle Beach, SC. This competition took place with full stadium seating for attendees to enjoy all of the action that takes place during the competition. This event started back in 1977 and showcases athletes illustrating their commitment and epic feats of strength. Attendees also enjoyed Fan Fest where those without tickets to sit in the stadium area could enjoy food and retail vendors from the Myrtle Beach area as well as activations from official sponsors. They can watch the action via the jumbotron in the picnic area which allowed those in the community to enjoy and be part of it all for free.

We wanted to get some background on this event and chatted with Lindsey Landrum of sports management firm, IMG so that we can understand the history as well as what took place over the days of compeition. We also wanted to share information on some of the athletes that participated as well as they have their own stories, reasons for competing, and lead interesting lives in addition to competing! You’ll find interviews with: Rob Kearney, Eddie Williams, and The World’s Strongest Brothers, Luke and Tom Stoltman (he won this year’s WSM).

If you didn’t attend the event, you can see all the action this July on CBS Sports Network and CBS. Television coverage of the 2024 championship will be broadcast worldwide to more than 70 different countries and territories, totaling close to 500 million households. In the U.S., 2024 SBD World’s Strongest Man coverage will premiere on CBS Sports Network and CBS beginning this summer. Check local listings for the most updated information.

ATHLEISURE MAG: The World's Strongest Man launched in 1977, can you tell us about the ethos of this competition and what it is focused on?

LINDSEY LANDRUM: The World's Strongest Man is the world’s preeminent strongman competition, held annually since 1977. The competition sees the sport’s most dominant strength athletes compete for the title, from pulling trucks and buses, lifting and pressing logs, carrying 1,000 pounds on their shoulders and more - every event is designed to push the Strongmen to their absolute limits, challenging not only their physical strength, but their agility and mental toughness as well.

PHOTO COURTESY | Rich Storry/The World’s Strongest Man 2024

AM: How do athletes qualify to be able to compete?

LL: Athletes qualified for the competition through several different ways. There is the official qualifying series, Giants Live, which takes place across the UK & the US. While there are others that are nominated for the event and chosen from a selection committee.

AM: How does WSM connect to other Strongman competitions that are held in various countries?
LL: WSM connects to the global strongman events as they are all on the map from our WSM selection committee. The competition invites 30 athletes from around the world, so we look at all ranges of strength from every continent to truly find out who the strongest top 30 athletes are to compete head-to-head at World’s Strongest Man.
AM: What does the WSM winner receive?
LL: The World’s Strongest Man winner receives the prestigious title of becoming the “World’s Strongest Man”. This is the pinnacle for the sport of Strongman. They take home the title, the “Barry Frank Trophy” as well as prize money.

AM: What does WSM do throughout the year when this competition isn't taking place?

LL: The World’s Strongest Man takes place over four days of competition each year to determine the winner. While the competition is only four days, our social media platforms are extremely interactive year-round (1M followers on Instagram), CBS/CBS Sports Network is airing in the US in July/August (with re-runs happening year-round of previous years), Channel 5 is airing in the UK from Boxing Day to New Year’s Day and multiple other international broadcast partners airing the coverage around December. Athletes will continue competing at competitions globally to gain their ticket to come back to next year’s World’s Strongest Man.

AM: How does a new event within WSM get added in, as Sandbag Steeplechase was added this year?

LL: World’s Strongest Man is known for having not only some of the heaviest events in history but being one of the most creative events. It’s a competition that is typically held in an outdoor venue and we work diligently with the location to integrate as much of the city/location as we can. For instance, the sandbag steeplechase made it to incorporate sand, since we are competing in Myrtle Beach! Another example would be when WSM was in Botswana and their focus was on elephant conservation. The Stone Carry event that year had extremely heavy stones shaped to look like Elephant heads. Broadcast announcers and emcees at the event were able to help promote Botswana’s focus by discussing this while the athletes were competing. 

AM: Why was Myrtle Beach selected as the site for this year's event, and is there anything that you can tell us about next year's event?

LL: World’s Strongest Man selected Myrtle Beach for the second year in a row after a wonderful partnership began in 2023 with Visit Myrtle Beach and the city of Myrtle Beach. It is a unique destination that allows families to travel in not only for the event, but also as part of a vacation and enjoy the beach and all that the city has to offer. World’s Strongest Man is a family-friendly event that no matter if you are 5 years old or 95 years old, you are impressed by someone who is able to pull a plane or able to press 400+ pounds overhead!

We don't have any news we can share quite yet on next year’s event, but details will be released soon across our social media, including dates of the 2025 event. Follow @theworldsstrongestman on Instagram, @WorldsStrongest on Twitter and @theworldsstrongestman on Facebook, TikTok @TheWorldsStrongestMan, and YouTube @theworldsstrongestman for the most updated information.

PHOTO COURTESY | Rich Storry/The World’s Strongest Man 2024

AM: When did you realize that you loved fitness and sports?

ROB KEARNEY: I started playing baseball when I was young and it was my first love in terms of sports. In High School, when I started playing football, I was introduced to the weight room and lifting weights. From there, I began taking weight training seriously and ultimately made the decision to compete in powerlifting and strongman at the age of 17.

AM: I love that in highschool you played football as well as were a cheerleader during the winter season as well. Obviously, both are very physical. What did you learn from those experiences and what it takes to optimize yourself in both sports?

RK: From both sports I learned that hard work and being a student of the sport is what helps you succeed. It's not always about being the biggest athlete, but learning the best techniques and working hard to perfect those is what will set you apart from other athletes.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to continue your fitness and athletic journey by participating in strength competitions like the Arnold Pro Strongman World Series you won in 2019?

RK: I did my first Strongman competition in 2009 as a senior in high school. I took last place but fell in love with the nature of the sport and the culture as well. When I attended college, I joined the Powerlifting team and decided to make competitive lifting a priority for me. In 2013, I won the Amateurn National Strongman Championship to turn Pro, and in 2017 made my first appearance at Worlds Strongest Man.

AM: In that same year that you won, you got married and Arnold Schwarzenegger himself celebrated your wedding! What did that mean to you?

RK: In 2019, my husband, Joey and I decided to get married when we planned a trip to Australia for me to compete in the Arnold Australia Pro Strongman World Series. A month prior to the trip, Joey suggested we get married while in Australia, to which I excitedly obliged. I was fortunate enough to win the competition and while receiving the trophy, I told Arnold we were getting married the next day. In an amazing turn of events, Arnold invited us to a chartered Yacht Tour of the City of Melbourne, AUS and dinner that evening after the wedding. It was a surreal experience to be able to celebrate our wedding day with the most influential person in the fitness space.

AM: How do you train to be able to compete in competitions of this nature?

RK: Training to be a strongman takes a lot of time and work in order to achieve the level of strength needed to compete at the highest level in the sport. Being strong in the basic power-lifts (bench, squat, deadlift and overhead press) are the building blocks to be a successful strongman. After that, you have to get experience on the strongman implements such as logs, circus dumbbells, farmers carries, yoke walks and so much more. Building the experience on these movements can be done both in training and competitions. A typical training day will last between 2-3 hours with longer sessions sometimes over 6 hours long.

AM: What does the World's Strongest Man mean to you and why have you been competing in this since 2017?

RK: World's Strongest Man is the Super Bowl of Strongman. It is the pinnacle of our sport and being able to compete at this competition solidifies yourself as one of the 30 strongest men in the world. It is a testament to your hard work and performance throughout the Strongman competitive season. Getting invited and qualifying to this competition is not something to be taken lightly and is a privilege to receive. 

AM: This year you competed, how do you qualify to be at WSM and what were the competitions that you were involved in?

RK: In 2023, I competed at the Giants Live World Deadlift Championships in Cardiff, Wales. In the full competition I tied for 3rd place. Giants Live is the official qualifying tour for Worlds Strongest Man and if you podium at a Giants Live Show, that qualifies you for the following years WSM.

AM: Tell me about the Knaack Tools of a Strongman and what did it mean to you to win this?

RK: Winning the Tools of a Strongman award was really special because it not only is an award that showcases the hard work and dedication of the winning athlete, but it is also voted on by the other competitors. To win an award that is voted on by your peers is really amazing because it shows that they see the hard work, love and dedication I have put into this sport over the past 15 years.

AM: This year is your final year competing as you are retiring, you have a number of accolades from 3X Arnold Strongman Competitor and you won the Car Walk at this year's WSM event, you've written a children's book, you overcame testicular cancer as well - what are you the most proud of?

RK: To be honest, I am proud of a lot of things, but being the First and Only Openly Gay Professional Strongman who led with love and perseverance is something I will cherish. I never shied away from showing my love to my husband, I never shied away from being my full authentic self and was met with nothing but love and acceptance from the Strongman Community. Being a fan favorite and an athlete who showed character can get you just as much as trophies is something I can hold my head high about as I leave the sport as a competitor.

AM: You and your husband opened CrossFit Iron Legacy, tell us about this gym and any other upcoming projects that you would like to share with us!

RK: My husband and I have been involved with Crossfit for years and this year in January, got the opportunity to open our own affiliate. We have been building the gym while also working other full time jobs, but it has been so amazing and rewarding. We have built an amazing community of people who are focused on living healthier, fitter lives while building friendships and having fun! Other than that, I also serve as a coach to HWPO Training, an online training platform where I run the "STRONG" Program, a fitness based strength program for all ability levels. Now that I am done competing as a strongman I am excited to lean into those other business ventures, and stay connected with Strongman both as a fan and a commentator.

PHOTO COURTESY | Rich Storry/The World’s Strongest Man 2024

AM: How did you come to Strongest Man competitions in general?

EDDIE WILLIAMS: There was a local competition that I signed up for, my friends always said how strong I was moving furniture around. So I decided to give it a go. I ended up winning the competition against guys who trained for it. So I decided to pursue the sport from then on! 

AM: What a day like working with you if were to train alongside you?

EW: I normally work all day doing security and then train for 3 hours afterwards. Training looks like, warming up, working up to my heavy sets on the program, event training and then heading home to my family.

AM: You are a 2X Australia's Strongest Man winner and a Southern Hemisphere Strongman Champion, tell us about competing at World's Strongest Man this year!

EW: It’s always the best experience competing at Worlds Strongest Man. I train hard to be able to compete at this level so it’s an honour to be considered one of the strongest men in the world. 

AM: What were your favorite competitions that you were in this weekend?

EW: The Webster stone walk was what I was looking forward to most. I love grip events, and I was able to set a World record for walking with the stones the furthest. The yoke is also one of my favourite events. I was really looking forward to the events that I’m normally weaker at. I’ve done a lot of work the last 12 months and I think I was able to prove to everyone that I’m improving and becoming a well rounded, consistent athlete. 

AM: In addition to you showcasing your strength, you're also known for singing as you were a finalist on Australia's Got Talent and you appeared on America's Got Talent! When did you realize that you like to sing?

EW: When I was about 15 years old, in high school I realised my love for singing. I grew up in a very musical family so music has always been such a big part of my life. 

AM: Are there any upcoming projects that you would like to share that we should keep an eye out for?

EW: Hoping to compete in a few more competitions this year. Other than that just focusing on work and spending time with my family. 

PHOTO COURTESY | Rich/StorryThe World’s Strongest Man 2024

LUKE STOLTMAN

AM: What draws you to Strongest Man competitions?

LS: I was always interested in strength training from a young age. My grandad on my father’s side was a really strong hard working man. There's an old photo of him carrying a log on his shoulder that was a real inspiration for me. My training went from bodybuilding concentrated to strongman later in my 20s when someone suggested I try it, it was instant love, the variety of it and unpredictability and moving these massive implements felt really cool.

AM: You and your brother compete in these competitions and you're known as the World’s Strongest Brothers. You have looked after him as a promise to your mother who passed away from cancer. What does it mean to you to watch him compete and to be able to have this shared experience??

LS: Tom is a phenomenon. I knew that early on from taking him to the gym - everything just seemed easy for him. I knew his potential early on and so did Mum. Whe was his biggest supporter through everything he did. There is nothing that makes me more proud and happier than seeing Tom at the top of the world and being discussed as one of the best to ever do the sport, to overcome what he has done in his life, to be here now is the stuff of Hollywood films and to be there alongside him competing in the same competitions makes it even more special. I may not have as many years left in the sport as him, but right now I'm savoring every moment we have. We are a formidable force together, and we use each other's energy in competitions and training to drive us to achieve as much as we can.

AM: You are a 2X Europe's Strongest Man in 2021 and again of April this year, what did it mean to you to win those titles?

LS: Like Tom getting his title back, it was special for me to know I could still mix it in the big competitions. I had also made a number of changes to my training, employed a new coach, worked to maximize recovery and we worked with a sports psychologist who had a huge impact on myself and Tom this year.

AM: How do you train to optimize yourself in these competitions?

LS: A lot is experience, having the right team around us, and consistently following the plans we make. It’s a real team effort. People might be surprised what it all takes. For example, we work with strength coaches, nutritionist, performance psychologist, clinical psychologist, physiologist, sports massage, chiropractor, on top of this we place a huge emphasis on recovery, which includes hot and cold water contrast therapy, hyperbaric chamber, sauna, infrared therapy, maximizing sleep environment, massage, mobility, the list goes on!

AM: For the World's Strongest Man competition this year, what are your favorite parts of the competition?

LS: I get a real buzz from being in this competition in particular. It’s the comp everyone wants to win and the most prestigious. I've been lucky to compete in nearly 10 WSM competitions, and hopefully a few more to come!

AM: You just welcomed a son, what are the firsts that you are looking forward to with him?

 LS: Hard to describe the emotions and joy Koa has brought. He is a constant source of energy for me and really drives me on to succeed in competition, business and life. I hope to still compete when he is at an age to remember, and just hope I can make him proud.

AM: Are there any upcoming projects that you would like to share that we should keep an eye out for?

LS: World domination! Haha! We are working hard on our business. Unfortunately, the prize money still isn’t great with the sport so we have to rely on sponsorships and we are working to build our brand. We have a clothing line, an online strength training academy, and we perform a number of talks which I particularly enjoy when covering subjects such as elite performance, overcoming adversity, mental health awareness, and our story.

PHOTO COURTESY | Rich Storry/The World’s Strongest Man 2024

TOM STOLTMAN

AM: You and your brother are very close and you're known as The World’s Strongest Brothers. What does it mean to you to be able to do what you love alongside your brother?

TS: We never thought it would be this way from when Luke took me to the gym all those years ago, and sometimes its hard to believe what we are doing for a job. It really is a dream. We are really close too which helps when you spend so much time together! 

AM: What's an average day like for you in training for these competitions?

TS: We train 4-5 days a week and sessions last between 2-5hrs depending on what stage we are at. In the run up to a competition, the event specific training days are the ones that take longer (3.5-5hrs). Recovery and rest is just as important, so we will ensure we have 2 days, usually weekends, off per week. There is a lot of eating too, to maintain our weight (I'm around 185kg) but still burn so many calories in long training sessions. We need to eat a lot! 

AM: What's it like competing against your brother in these competitions?

TS: It’s a real advantage, we have such a strong bond as I've said so I think it can be intimidating for the other competitors to see us together supporting each other between events. It's also really special to be able to do it together, so we try to savor every moment and make the most of it as we never know when our last comp together might be.

AM: What are your favorite events within the World Strongest Man competitions?

TS: All of them! My speciality is the atlas stones, but I don’t like to have favorites as the goal is to have no weaknesses and to embrace whatever events come up.

AM: You are now a 3X World Strongest Man with your win this weekend, you were the first Scottish winner in history with WSM, you're the first athlete with autism to win WSM, and in 2019 you and your brother were the first brothers to qualify for the WSM Final - what does it mean to you to have so many historic moments in this sport?

TS: It's an honor for sure but I try not to reflect on it too much at this stage in my career as I just keep focusing on what's next. I’m proud to be Scottish and win the title, but also where we are from in Scotland, we are from the Highlands, a very remote area, that makes me even more proud and to help show what can be achieved with limited resources and that’s the same with autism. I want people to see that you can achieve great things if you set your mind to it. I also hope to use the platform to educate people on it. There can be a stigma around it and people can call it a disability, and in general not understand it. But in truth, there can be positives about living with autism, and I want to inspire people to see that you can achieve great things. I called it my superpower after winning my first WSM title. At that point, I was no longer the autistic kid that was being held back. I had channeled it to help me focus on achieving my goal of becoming the world's strongest man.

AM: What do you enjoy about competing in WSM?

TS: Winning it! Haha! It’s a historic competition and such a prestigious title. We as a family would always watch it on TV at Christmas time so it's extra special to think back on those times and to be actually competing in the competition now, doing well and hopefully making my family proud too.

AM: How do you relax after coming off of a weekend like this?

TS: It's hard, it's such a buzz, but my team we work with and my family help keep me grounded. I like a quiet life outside the sport - spend time with my wife, walk the dogs and watch football really. That’s one good part of living in the Highlands of Scotland. It's nice and quiet, and beautiful scenery for walks. 

AM: Are there any upcoming projects that we should keep an eye out for?

TS: Very early stages but we are talking to a well known LA film producer about the possibility of doing a film on our life story. That would be pretty exciting if it comes off, although they might struggle to find actors as big as me and Luke!

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

PRE-COVERAGE BAR CONVENT BROOKLYN

We go to a number of events throughout the year that involve an array of product and brand launches. It's always great to see what is coming out and those that are involved behind those brands. Bar Convent Brooklyn is in its 6th year and is for the industry professionals from bar and restaurant owners, mixologists, educators, and more to come together. We have the opportunity to to meet brands new and old as well as to try brands. Whether you're hitting the show floor, the Main Stages for education, parties, and more this event really does celebrate the community and you leave wuth a bigger understanding of spirits as well as seeing trends that you'll notice when you're at your favorite spot.

We wanted to sit down to find out more about this event, why it's located in Brooklyn, what it takes to put on this 2 Day event that takes place June 11th and 12th at Industry City and more. We talked with event industry veteran, Jackie Willuams, Event Vice President of RX (the organization that puts on trade events of this nature) to have these questions and more answered!

ATHLEISURE MAG: It’s always great to go to industry events and there are some that we have gone to that we have seen it from its debut season forward! When BCB launched in 2018, we headed to Greenpoint to check out the vendors, programming, education, and parties that took place and then we came back again in that neighborhood in 2019. Now in it’s 6th year, we’re looking forward to attending again in Industry City. So it’s amazing to see how it’s progressed over the 6 years that it has been in existence!

JACKIE WILLIAMS: Yeah, it’s pretty crazy! The fact that it has been 6 years and yet it’s only been 6 years, it’s just you blink and it’s gone!

AM: Before we delve into talking about BCB and this year’s events, I’d love to know about your background and how you came into BCB.

JW: For sure! How did I come to BCB? Well, I’ve worked in the tradeshow world for 18 years. I have been at RX for just over 15 years. I started out in Marketing, I have worked at a ton of our events from jewelry to security, to publishing, and then I ran marketing for all of our consumer events for awhile. And then, when the opportunity came up for BCB, I said, yes sign me up! I was running a different event at the time and the event I was running was the exact same dates as BCB so I would see the pictures online and I was in Manhattan and BCB was in Greenpoint at that time and I was like, man, I want to be able to check that out! I think that this will be my year 4 of running it in Brooklyn and I said, yes absolutely! This is amazing and I was so excited to be part of it. Since then, it has been such a good old time in trying to do a groovy event and keep growing to support the industry. It has been amazing.

AM: We love hearing that story and hearing about your time with RX. We’ve been from the fashion and accessories side attending the JCK shows for as long as I can remember!

JW: Oh yeah! I used to work on the JCK portfolio for a little while.

It’s such a small world in terms of how it all just comes together and is full circle. I used to help out with Agenda and a couple of the other events that we did.

AM: You’re known as someone who does these large scale events. What is your role as an Events Vice President as I know you must have 80 hands going!

JW: I have a lot going on. As the Events Vice President, I do a little bit of everything. I oversee the strategy down to the execution I do have a large team and they are excellent at what they do, right? We have a Registration Manager, a couple of Operation Managers, a Marketing team, and it’s about keeping it together and organized and being able to function as a well run machine. So there is a lot going on and there is a lot going on in my brain at all times. My notebooks are always constantly full. It’s a little bit of everything that I touch.

AM: We can only imagine.

What is an average week like in terms of getting this event together. What is it like when you’re a year out planning the next event, what’s in that month, and what’s that week of life?

JW: Yeah, so – one of the things that I love about doing events is that we don't do the same thing everyday and we don’t do the same thing every week which kind of makes it exciting!

So we actually start more than a year before the next event.

AM: Really?

JW: Yeah, so right now, we’re pretty far down on the logistical side of 2025, we have our dates, we’re finalizing our floorplan, setting up our systems so we’re ready to sell booth space for 2025. We’re working on what our event creative for ’25 is going to look like and we’re zhuzhing it up for what it’s going to look like then.

Immediately following the event is when we get into strategy. We’re looking at the post event surveys that we sent out, doing group conversations with our vendors and our partners, and internally we talk about what we can improve upon. We talk about what went well and we always want to continue to do what we went well on. We also look at where we fell short. How can we come together collectively and make the event better? Whether the registration line was too long and we needed to add more tables – we need to increase our registration space or if people want to see more food offerings – how can we get some more food trucks into the mix? Those kinds of things, every single survey, I read every single word of it. So do a lot of the other members of our team as well. So that year out, we’re looking at diving in to see how we can improve on those things. We continue that as we start selling, hitting the road and talking to customers.

I would say at 4 months out, that’s when things get really crazy! That’s because that is when registration is opening and we’re trying to get all of the logistics for the exhibitor manual, move in time, compliance information, the Certificate of Insurance they need. At this point, it's about finalizing all of the education.

As we get closer, it’s about answering all of the questions whether it’s a customer or someone internal coming up with new ideas or experiences. Right now we’re about a month out and I don’t really sleep much at this point! I just want to be there for our customers and the ramp up to the event and to support our internal team. At this point, I’m just trying to get through all of those emails and phone calls.

A week out, we get to the event and we start building it up from laying down the turf, marking the floorplan, building the registration tent, working with our General Contractor on when we will accept freight, when the floral goes out – our production schedule is an Event Planner’s dream. It’s long, color coordinated, very detailed, but I have an amazing team to help and they are the ones that really deserve all of the credit for their hard work.

AM: Wow it’s intense!

Why was this show created and what was the decision to have it in Brooklyn?

JW: BCB started in Berlin many years ago and it was very small and a couple of bartenders and brands got together and Bar Convent Berlin has really grown to be the largest international beverage event which is amazing. If you haven’ gone, I suggest you do!

AM: It has been on our list.

JW: It’s a very impressive event! So we brought BCB to Brooklyn in 2018. We were working with our counterparts in Berlin to see if this made sense. Do people want this? We had those conversations with our brands and the exhibitors. We spent a lot of time talking with bartenders, owners, influencers, and navigated the landscape of the bar and bev scene in the US. Brooklyn felt like a natural fit, right? NY is an easy place to get to in terms of the States and globally as well. The heart and soul of Brooklyn, the creativity and the culture that is Brooklyn made it make sense for it to be in Brooklyn. So that's where it landed. We were at the Brooklyn Expo Center in 2018 to 2021 which was our last event there and then we moved to Industry City in 2022 and this was just an amazing place! We have been able to grow and connect with the folks that have their businesses there and it’s been a cool vibe!

AM: We’re excited as attending the first 2 years left such an amazing impression. So we can’t wait to check it out this year!

Last Dec, we did an interview with Lynnette Marrero who we know is your Head Educator at BCB.

JW: Oh I love Lynnette! She is amazing!

AM: It was so exciting to be able to talk with her as she’s such an OG in the space and we talked about a number of the places she worked at which was a bit of nostalgia for us as we were going to those spots so it’s interesting how things happen within a period of time.

In her interview in addition to other projects she is involved in, she really drove home the education component of BCB. What are the different things that take place that attendees should be aware of?

JW: For education, we have 4 different stages and they run all day, both days of the event. Our Main Stage is curated by our Education Committee which Lynnette is our Head of Communication, there are 14 sessions on our Main Stage over the course of the 2 days. 13 of them come with your badge and are free and is first-come-first-serve. The 14th one focuses on leadership and that is our Lunch & Learn. That happens on Wed, Alison Anne is hosting that session and it is a separately paid ticket. With that comes access to the session, lunch, as well as gift bags. So we’re really excited to introduce that this year.

We then have 2 other stages called our Liquid Lounges. These are really our brand stages where our brands get up and speak on different topics. But it allows our visitors to have an opportunity to sample. So as XY exhibitor is up there talking about their product, you will get a sample of up to 6 products that you can taste, smell, and see as they’re speaking. So it’s like being able to put liquid to lips during the education. Our last stage is Park Street University which our partners at Park Street, they curate it, they run it, and that stage is located in Building 8 on the 2nd floor and again it runs both days and those sessions are really geared towards the brands, exhibitors, and marketing. So that’s awesome in terms of education.

But we do have other activations that are going on throughout the course of the 2 days. William Grant and Sons is sponsoring our Opening Night Party on Tues night. We have our Welcome Cocktails so as soon as you walk in, Zamora Brand is sponsoring that so that’s the first opportunity once you get through registration. We have our courtyard bars and our new bar on 34th Street. For the 1st time we are also doing an event from 5-7 on Tues that will be located on 34th Street and it’s the BCB Street Party so we will have some live music. There will be some entertainment and an opportunity to sample, mingle, and network with other visitors on Tues.

AM: That is exciting and what a full calendar over those 2 days!

What are 3 events that you’re excited about or 3 events taking place over the 2 days that we should highlight?

JW: So I’m really excited for the Street Party! I think that it’s going to be really cool and different. Who doesn’t love live music and this event will be on Tues from 5-7 and it will feature music and lawn games and a variety of other entertainment! But it’s really about the connections and being able to network.

We have also added the Writer’s Block for the 2024 event. So we will feature 15 or so writer’s over the course of the 2 days and this will be happening in Building 8 on the 2nd floor as well. This will be a unique platform for industry writers to showcase and promote their latest publications as well as to engage with the visitors and to be able to meet and greet, sign and sell their books. It is just a dedicated space to offer an additional experience to the authors and the visitors.

I’m really excited for Alison Anne’s session and I hope that I can make that one as the topic seems amazing! It will be apropos to many of our visitors!

But one of my favorite things is just to be on that show floor! I love being able to see those brands that we know and love to see what their booth is going to look like and what the products will be. I also want to see the new brands and the new launches that are coming out. There are some new products that will be debuting at BCB this year and I am really excited for those! We do have an area called the Emerging Brands Pavilion. It’s an area of 27 brands and they are really first time exhibitors to BCB and they’re new and up and coming. It’s an amazing little area to sample and talk with these brand owners.

AM: That’s one of the best parts is to sample a brand that is starting out! I think it was in 2019, there was a gin brand that was based in Japan and it was a matcha gin. It tasted phenomenal and we got to speak with the owners and I was blown away to be able to learn about them as well as to our favorites that we have enjoyed for years. It’s also fun to see something launch somewhere and then to see it over the next few years in terms of how they have grown.

What are the challenges for you guys in putting on this kind of an event?

JW: There is always a logistical hurdle that we need to find a solution for. Another hurdle is that we always want to do better. We want to put an event together where people have success. We want to do the best that we can for each of those brands. Making sure that we’re communicating things in the best way that we can in the right way so that we can get folks to understand everything that we have going on and that they can get the most out of it. We want them to keep coming back and to continue to foster those connections that they have made. We’re always thinking about how we as BCB can continue assisting in making sure that they feel that they are able to make those connections whether that’s their individual brand or the large scale brand that they work for.

AM: For a brand that has never participated, how do they go about being part of BCB in the future as an exhibitor? Is there a qualification process?

JW: Every part of BCB is qualified. So we actually make sure that all of our visitors are part of the Bar and Beverage community. So we look at every single individual to make sure that they are coming and are a good fit for the event as well as the exhibitors naturally. The best thing to do is to use the form on our site that focuses on those interested in exhibiting. Someone from our Sales Team will get that and follow up with a few conversations. There is a form to fill out after those conversations. I’m also very available and my contact information is at the top of the website and I answer every email that I get so I’m happy to direct them to the right place. But they can come to our website to begin those conversations with us.

AM: BCB takes place over the 2 days, but are there things that you do throughout the year that is not just the tradeshow component?

JW: We go see our customers and we participate at the other BCB’s – there’s Berlin, São Paulo, and Singapore – there are 4 of us. So we do that and we can always pop up in other locations whether that at another event, someone’s office, or a bar!

IG @barconventbrooklyn

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Bar Convent Brooklyn

Read the MAY ISSUE #102 of Athleisure Mag and see Pre-Coverage Bar Convent Brooklyn in mag.

THE PICK ME UP

Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag and see THE PICK ME UP in mag.

ROCK THIS FOR MUCH NEEDED SUMMER FRIDAYS

Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag and see Rock This For Much Needed Summer Fridays in mag.

THE BACHELORETTE S21. E0. | MEET JENN TRAN'S MEN?

PHOTO CREDIT | ABC The Bachelorette/Gizelle Hernandez

As we wait for The Bachelorette Season 21, we just got introduced to the 25 men that will be on their journey with Jenn Tran which begins July 8th!

For now, we have the men that we will get to know throughout the summer.

Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Bachelor and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.

We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!

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WHO WE PREDICT WILL GO TO HOMETOWNS

AARON

DAKOTA

MOZE

THOMAS

PHOTO CREDIT | The Bachelor Contestants/Ricky Middlesworth

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THE BACHELORETTE CONTESTANTS

AARON

AUSTIN

BRENDAN

BRETT

BRIAN

DAKOTA

DEVIN

DYLAN

GRANT

HAKEEM

JAHAAN

JEREMY

JOHN M

JONATHAN J

KEVIN

MARCUS

MARVIN

MATT

MOZE

RICKY

SAM M

SAM N

SPENCER

THOMAS

TOMAS

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

AVOCADO BEAUTY

Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag and see AVOCADO BEAUTY in mag.

HOW TO DRESS | AL FRESCO WITH FRIENDS

Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag and see HOW TO DRESS | Al Fresco with Friends in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG ISSUE #101 | CURTISS COOK

In this month’s issue, our front and back cover story is with Showtime star of The Chi, Curtiss Cook. We sat down with him to talk about his approach to acting and how he connects to his characters, the success of The Chi, the importance of mental health and why it is important to him, as well as upcoming projects. We also enjoyed spending time with him in Chelsea at Selina Chelsea Hotel as we shot his cover at Creatures at Selina Rooftop and Music For A While listening lounge with key menswear looks for your next outing.

Earlier this month, we headed to Lifetime Fitness for the unveiling of their 7 Pickleball courts as well as to see legendary 8X Grand Slam Winner and 60 ATP Tour wins, Andre Agassi. We enjoyed a fireside chat with him as well as the founder of Lifetime Fitness, Bahram Akradi. We enjoyed hearing him talk about playing as a tennis star and how he has transitioned to enjoying pickleball. In addition, we were able to watch him as well as fellow pickleball stars Anna Bright, Tyson McGuffin, Collin Johns, and Ben Johns play in a series of exhibition games.

This month, we also caught up with 2x Team USA Swimming Medalist Lydia Jacoby ahead of the Summer Games in Paris to talk about her sport, swimming for the University of Texas at Austin, what her average week of training is like, and what the weeks ahead look like as Paris 2024 approaches. .

We enjoyed Season 1 of Outer Range and with Season 2 available on Prime Video, we enjoyed talking with Showrunner and Executive Producer Charles Murray to talk about how he was drawn to storytelling and why he enjoys doing it. We also talk about how he came to this neo-western and the power of secrets. We also connected with actors Tamara Podemski and Isabel Arraiza in this series to find out about their characters from Season 1 and what we can expect from Season 2.

Part of a story and its characters coming together takes place in its costume direction as it says a number of elements that are not necessarily in the script, but round out the picture! Costume Designer Allyson Fanger has been storytelling through costumes in films and television from Wild Things, 10 Things I Hate About You to Grace & Frankie, Shrinking, Apples Never Fall, etc. We caught up with her to find out how she got into the industry, her journey, how she approaches her craft, the difference between styling and costume design, and upcoming projects. 

We're back for our 7th year as Media Sponsors for PRIDE NYC which takes place throughout the month of June here in NYC. In advance of this, we wanted to share what you can look forward to this year in our pre-coverage and next month we will have more details on events that we attended.

Bar Convent Brooklyn takes place next month Jun 11- 12 as it's a time for those in the bar/beverage, and hospitality industry to come together to meet new spirit brands and sample launches as well. Ahead of us attending the trade show as well as related events, we wanted to connected with the Event Vice President, Jackie Williams to find out how this event came to be, an overview of its 6 years, and what we can expect this year for attendees and exhibitors in Industry City, Brooklyn. Next month, we'll share our thoughts on what we saw and enjoyed so that you can keep an eye out for new brands and launches.

In an already busy June ahead, Governors Ball will return to Flushing Meadows on Jun 7 - 9! We give an overview on what you can expect and what we look forward to as this music festival kicks off the summer season. Next month, we'll share what we saw and who we interviewed in our JUN ISSUE #102.

This month's The Art of the Snack comes from Heritage Grand Bakery, Heritage Grand and Restaurant and Pizza Bar in Bryant Park. We wanted to know more about this eatery that allows you to have a number of options to go if you're ordering from the bakery for breakfast and lunch and bites in between. We also liked knowing more about the restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and is a great happy hour spot.

This month's Athleisure List comes from The Thinking Traveller, luxury rentals villas in Italy and Greece that are perfect for you to truly enjoy your family with the ability to include premium add-ons to personalize your stay. We also have Hot Bones a Detroit wellness studio that has hot yoga as well as pilates! They are also known for their bone broth that guests can enjoy as well for a full holistic approach. 

This month’s 9PLAYLIST comes from EDM group Swedish House Mafia and VASSY. This month we have our 9PLAYLIST MULTI from our cover star, Curtiss Cook who shares songs, books and podcasts/TV/films that he is enjoying. Our 9LIST STORI3S comes from Costume Designer Allyson Fanger who shares her must-haves in beauty, style, and fitness. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes from 2X Team USA Swimming Olympian Lydia Jacoby and actor, Joey Lawrence. This month's THE 9LIST 9CH3FS and THE 9LIST 9B-L-D comes from Chef David Seigal of The Lobster Place, Chef Seadon Shouse of Halifax W Hoboken, and Chef David Rose.

Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag.

PUSHING NEW LIMITS | JENNA WILLIS

Focusing on our health is multi-layered as it's about working out, nutrition, recovering our body, and wellness. By combining these elements together you're on the track to creating a 360 approach to doing what is best for your body.

We caught up with Jenna Willis who is know for her celebrity clientele that includes Liza Koshy (Boo! A Madea Halloween, Transformers: Rise of the Beast, Good Burger 2), Lala Kent (Vanderpump Rules, The Valley, MAY ISSUE #29 cover in 2018) and Camila Cabello. We've gotten to know her through seeing her on Vanderpump Rules as well as on her Instagram.

We wanted to find out how she became a celeb trainer, the impact of fitness on her life, her approach to working with clients, how we can approach our fitness goals, and her upcoming projects.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’re so excited to talk with you as the first time we became aware of you was when we had Lala Kent as the cover and we shot with her. In her interview we were asking about her physique and how she got to looking so amazing and she was like, “oh my God, Jenna Willis!”

JENNA WILLIS: Oh that’s so nice - so thank you! Truly and it makes me so happy.

I was literally with Lala today training with her as we’re now in her 2nd pregnancy now and we’ve gotta keep her body on track to snap back the day after!

AM: She always looks great and you also have other clients that I’m a fan of like Liza Koshy and I know our readers will love learning more about you and your fitness approach!

When was the moment that you fell in love with fitness?

JW: Wow, you know it’s one of those things where you look back and it all makes sense. But when you’re in it, you don’t realize how impactful it is and how it has pretty much supported me my entire life! I started off doing Tiny Tots Gymnastics when I was 3 years old. So fitness – what’s interesting to me is that fitness is fun! A lot of people forget that. My true ah ha moment, I have actually had 2. I transferred colleges and I went to a school in NY called Wagner College where I was actually the tiniest Division I volleyball player in the nation so I was playing volleyball for this school. I always knew I wanted to move to LA to pursue acting because that was my dream. I was literally like going to my parents saying that I was up and moving and going to LA. They were like, “cool, good luck!” But they also added that I could do that or I could transfer and study whatever I wanted and graduate. So at the age of 19, I packed up a bag, moved across the country with 6 girls that I had never met before – this was back in the day! I was on a call with the girl in LA and she was like, “do you want to move into this house with us for the summer?” I was like sure. I show up and girl, we were sharing a bed for the summer and we had never met in my life – to this day, she is one of my best friends!

AM: Wow!

JW: The point of the story is that I moved to LA, I didn’t know what a sesh is like a Surf Sesh – all of these terms. All of these boys and all of this lifestyle stuff. I was like, I’m just going to live and enjoy extracurricular activities like Beer Pong right? About 5 months in to doing that, this was the first time in my life that I was not exercising. In the middle of a sorority meeting, I was laid out with a panic attack and it was the first time in my life that I had realized that fitness literally saves me. That was the first realization. I think that because it had always been part of my life because I always played sports, I played volleyball in college, and I never realized how impactful it truly was until that moment.

The second time, it was 2015 and I was actually on Vanderpump Rules at that time and I was also on a TV show called, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story - which was one of the best years of my life and then quickly went to one of the hardest years of my life. I stepped away from Vanderpump Rules, I was engaged to someone for 8 years and then we broke up and that ended, and then my management at the time left the industry and I just felt that I was left with nothing! My fiancé and I had broken up, I was no longer on Vanderpump Rules, and my acting career had not gone the way that I thought it would after booking the OJ series and I went into a very bad situational depression and my anxiety was through the roof and I summoned up the energy to get to the gym one day. I told myself that enough was enough. I go to the gym and I quickly realized that one of the few times out of my day that I felt present, I felt alive and felt good – that was how I became a trainer.

AM: That’s what I was going to ask you, how did you know that this was going to be your career because working out for yourself and knowing what to do for your body is so different than having clients and doing this for them.

JW: Yeah, I mean, honestly you can’t make this shit up! I was going to the gym and I knew I was feeling better. I got a call one day and a friend of a friend from college said, “hey, we need a fitness model for this job.” I thought, I’m not a model, but sure!

AM: I’m not a model, but I am today haha!

JW: This fun day of shooting and doing fitness stuff made me think, “wow, this is really cool!” So I'm going to the gym, I’m starting to workout and I’m feeling better, I’m doing this fitness modeling thing. I’m at the gym one day and I’m working out. Mind you, I’ve been let go from Villa Blanca which is how I ended up on Vanderpump Rules. They were like, “Jenna, you haven’t made a shift in a month.” It was a dream for me to not ever have to go back to a restaurant again and I mean that in the most kindest way, but it was a goal that I had set for myself to try something new in life and to pursue my dream of acting.

I’m at the gym working out and a girl comes up to me and says, “oh my gosh, that move! Do you work here?” I told her no, but that this is how you do it. I kid you not, the next day I go to the gym, I’m on the cable machine, I’ll never forget it doing some chest on my massive non-existent boobs and another girl comes up and says, “woah, you’re really strong, do you work here?” I told her no, but this is what you do. Next day, at the gym, doing something for my butt of course, and a girl comes up and says, “I have really been trying to target the glutes” – she didn’t know what to call it, but I call it the Booty Dimples. Right like that little side part that we all want to focus on and I was hitting that real hard and she was like, “my gosh that move! Do you work here?” I’m not kidding, I looked at her and I said, “yes, I do!” I was like how can I help you? Then I helped her and I let her know that I didn’t really work there, but I went home and I was 30 at this point and I was like, if I have ever gotten a message in my life, this is it!

I went online and figured out the certification that I needed to get and which one I was going to do. I completed my certification in 2 months and it was a goal of mine to hit the ground running in 2017 and I got certified as a trainer and in CPR First Aid and I hit the ground running.

It changed my life! Yet again, fitness changed my life on a whole other level. I will tell you 1 thing. When I was 9 years old, I went to see a musical, The Newsies and I was sitting in the audience and I had this feeling of euphoria and that’s when I knew I wanted to be an actor because I wanted to give people the same thing I feel right now for the rest of my life. I get to do that now with training. I get to make people feel amazing. So you put the dots together and you get this path together! Now, there’s a lot of road there and there’s going to be a lot of bumps on that path.

AM: Oh yeah!

JW: It makes sense.

AM: It will be a mix in terms of result and what happens along the way. So it’s amazing that you found it and made it make sense.

JW: It’s been really cool and what I will say is when I made that decision from being on Vanderpump and being in that world some what – all of the girls got very excited. Lala was literally like, start training me.

AM: You were just on an episode the other week of the current season.

JW: Yeah! So that’s so cool, well it’s full circle as I get to go back and I can train them on the show. It’s so cool!

AM: It’s amazing, you have trained her, Camila Cabello, Liza – you have has so many amazing people. How important is that client to trainer relationship? What are you looking for when it comes to deciding to train someone as a client?

JW: You know what’s funny? It’s such an intimate relationship to train someone. What someone looks for in me is what I am also looking for in them. Which is a partnership and the ability to go through thick and thin together as well as the high and lows with one another – there will be both. I am definitely a supporter kind of trainer. We’re going to laugh in our sessions and you’re as sure as shit going to feel the burn and hate me a little bit. But the session will be over and you’ll be like, wow that went fast! I think that that’s what a client looks for. You’re hanging out in very strange circumstances and in those circumstances, you’re going to feel the burn, you’ll hate me a little, but then you will love me because you walk away feeling amazing.

AM: How would you describe your fitness method?

JW: My whole thing is that I have always been the weird kid and my thing is that we should embrace the awkward of fitness. I grew up an athlete, I have 3 older brothers, I had to be an athlete, I had to defend myself. My whole philosophy is to make fitness tangible and fun and something that can be done anywhere and anytime truly. People get so caught up in the major overhaul of life and what I like doing is to make it part of life.

AM: So for those just starting this journey, what would be the focus that they should be looking at or maybe beyond the goal of what it is that they want to do?

JW: Totally, there’s a few things that I recommend right off the bat. Start walking! It sounds so simple, but it makes such a difference. Once you create a routine of just getting up and walking outside, you’re creating that window to move - you release those endorphins and serotonin to move. You’re awake and your body doesn’t feel as tight. When you realize that your body is moving and that you’re getting that energy, you’re more motivated to want to take it to that next step. I always say the 5 mins rule. Sometimes, you just need to get to the gym. You show up, you get to that treadmill for 5 mins and you can leave. It’s all about creating a habit or a routine.

Another thing that I like to do for someone who is just getting started is a calendar program. Look at your calendar for the week and the meetings that you have to go to – those things that you cannot move and schedule 20 mins in between whether that’s in the morning, your lunchbreak, or right after work. Because when you build it into your schedule, it doesn’t feel overwhelming.

AM: Makes sense as you literally see it in your calendar and you feel horrible clicking it off of Google calendar.

JW: That’s exactly right – it’s accountability!

The other thing that I love is just to find something that you enjoy! You know, some people feel that fitness has to be in the gym and lifting weights, I do it and I live for it. But not every person wants to do that. Maybe it’s that weekly dance class – it’s that one commitment that doesn’t feel overwhelming and that it’s social.

AM: How do you approach those that do have a specific goal that they’re looking to achieve in their workouts? Maybe it’s a wedding, an anniversary, reunions, etc? They’re looking at a set time and a set place where that goal is able to actualized.

JW: So that’s when I get a little more intense. If someone has a very specific goal, we talk about what that is, we look at the timeframe, and we break it down to what will truly heed results in that length of time. I am talking about a meal plan and a workout plan. Everybody is different. It also depends on the timeframe that we have.

AM: How important is the nutrition and recovery plan. What are all the things that people should be thinking about when it comes to a workout session on a given day and over time?

JW: Wellness. Truly and when I say wellness, I mean mind, body, spirit, and soul – all of that. I think that the goal for me with any of my clients is to create a program that is sustainable and enjoyable because if it doesn’t have those aspects, it won’t continue. I never want to feel like I am having to overhaul someone’s life. That’s not fun. It’s picking small goals that heed big change. Little things like the way that you eat your meals makes such a difference. People don’t realize that you start with your veggies – it creates a block so that you don’t get that glucose spike and it prevents having those crashes in the afternoon. Then you move to your fats and your proteins and you finish with your complex cards. It’s little tips and tricks that make a huge difference. All of a sudden, you’re not eating as many of those snacks or craving those foods because you are satiating your body in other ways.

AM: How can we make sure that you’re establishing achievable goals as you’ve been talking about? Because I also have those friends who feel they have a goal and a plan, but in life, what they’re going for would not be able to happen whether the goal is off or the time allowed doesn’t make sense.

JW: Exactly, this is my philosophy. Anything that seems too good to be true, it probably is. And anything that comes so easy, goes easy. I truly believe that. A healthy amount is a pound a week and that’s an aggressive weight loss plan. If you are doing that, you are doing incredible. Anything over that, you’re kind of traumatizing the body to some degree and I hate to say that and to use those words.

AM: Well, it’s shocking the body.

JW: When people are leaning into taking things or doing things where this aggressive weight loss is happening, you can be losing muscle mass, you’re stressing your hunger, and how are you supplementing that to then create longevity?

I’m not just promoting myself so even if it’s not you working with me, maybe you are doing Pilates – you’re allowing your body to be supported and to create a strength for itself during that process. When you do go off of it, you’re still in a healthy mindset that will still support your mind and body.

AM: For those that may not be able to work with your 1:1. Tell us about Don’t Sweat It Alone! I love that everything in your world is so bright and approachable as there are a number of methods or trainers that sometimes have a very different look to their site and their approach and for some people that can be a bit too much for them.

JW: Yesss! Thank you for saying that and I really do appreciate that!

Just going back for a moment on what we were talking about before, if you’re just starting out – you may want to consider breaking up your workout. For some people that only have 20mins like a lot of my clients are working moms. That’s a busy job and 20mins is better than no minutes. If you’re waiting to have that block of an hour, you may tell yourself you don’t have it today, but you will do it tomorrow, and then it just keeps happening and ultimately, you never worked out. Give yourself some grace and set that timer for 20mins, that’s time you put in for yourself, you nourished your body and gave it what it needed.

AM: I agree even for myself, I prefer to workout at 8am and be done by 9am, but then I may have a day of meetings, editor appointments, interviews, creative, etc – I know I will catch up with it again later in the day, and won’t let the day go on without it. But it can be tough as sometimes things start moving.

JW: I love that! That’s how I operate it and not everyday will go the way you want it to. Sometimes schedules are crazy and that is ok!

AM: You do the best you can, my newest component has been meditation as I have found that just as necessary as working out my body. I am not someone who likes to sit for a second in silence, but when I am in the meditation groove that follows after my workout, I can do it.

JW: You’re inspiring me – like meditation and affirmations is part of every morning of mine, but I would say that meditation is the one that I struggle with the most. So you're inspiring me right now so we're always a work in progress.

AM: You have to find what works for you. I use Hyperice’s Core App and the fact that they break down the sessions to whether you’re feeling anxious, whether you want to be moved by music, or to have guided meditations, I have the group of instructors that I enjoy listening to and if I’m pushed for time I can find the one that is where I am at mentally within the time frame that I have to give.

JW: Do you ever do the nose breathing thing?

AM: Yes! I love Breathwrk App!

JW: Oh my gosh! It’s so good and if I’m having a crazy day, there are some days that you’re just not here! If I do that one technique, it’s like, “hey, I’m back!”

My Don’t Sweat It Alone, what’s really beautiful is that the only blessing in COVID that I experienced is that it gave me the ability to reach anyone all over the world. So what I do is that you don’t sweat it alone. I offer online programming, personalized month-to-month plans, and meal plans to anyone in the world. I’m also certified as a life coach as well through Jay Shetty, do you know him?

AM: Yeah!

JW: So, that’s a buddy of mine. I also do live check-ins as well. So you can be anywhere in the world and still have access to me. I call it the Power Hour and a member can sign on during that time and we set goals for the week, we talk about SHREDS – how’s your Sleep, how’s your Hunger, your Rest, your Energy, and your Digestion? We go over everything and go live every Monday and Friday with my HIIT workouts.

AM: I like that SHREDS thing and I’m all about gut health.

JW: It’s so important!

AM: During the pandemic, I also took time to really focus on my sleep and to change some things in that area as well. I feel it’s way more optimized then it was before. I still have moments that aren’t great, but it’s so much better than what it was before.

JW: I love that!

AM: Are there any retreats that you have coming up?

JW: Yes!!! Oh my gosh! Thank you for asking me! I’m a work horse.

AM: Same!

JW: Girl, of course you are! Look at what you’re doing. Teach me your ways!

I did my first retreat and because I’m a work horse, I had such a hard time stepping away truly. So I thought how could I step into my work while also exploring the world to do what I love? I got an opportunity last year to partner with a friend of mine and we did a wellness retreat in Bali. We called it Balanced to Bali and it was amazing! It was 6 nights/7 days, there were workouts every single day, yoga, meditation, it was so incredible and then I traveled before and after. It was such a hit, so euphoric, and so beautiful. I just announced Elevated in El Salvador 5 nights/6 days in El Salvador Dec 22nd – Dec 27th. It’s on the black sands of El Zonte. I am so excited. I have always wanted to explore Central America and to get down there that way. I can’t wait. I have been looking for a place and there is a beautiful and quaint resort right there on the ocean there will be yoga every single day and sound baths!

AM: The retreat seems amazing!

Obviously this can be different for everyone, but what are power and energy foods that when we’re running around and don’t want to snack idly and we want to put nutrients in our bodies intentionally – what are things that you suggest that we should have?

JW: Oh, I love this! Anything that supports the system more than process foods. I know that that is a very vague answer. But I can share some of my personal favorites – roasted chickpeas.

AM: We're such a fan of them!

JW: I love them – they’re just natural from the Earth, it’s a true whole food ingredient – it has the good fats, some carbs, great fiber – talk about what’s great for our digestive system! So, many great things, in one food! Another one that I enjoy and not everyone eats beef but grass fed beef sticks is absolutely amazing. Hard Boiled Eggs! It’s one of the best snacks that you can have! Protein bars are great and they are a great alternative to a protein bar, but I always say, look at the ingredients in those protein bars because a lot of time there is a lot of fillers and processors in those bars that we don’t even realize. Raw trail mix – I geek out. Some people geek out on wine tastings and don’t get me wrong, I love that! But I geek out on creating my own trail mix!

AM: Oh that’s so smart! Because then you know exactly what’s in it.

JW: Almonds are great or even pistachios.

AM: I’m ok with pistachios. I’ve also been someone who loves customizing and personalizing a number of things from clothes, office supplies etc, and a number of my foods – never thought to extend it to trail mix!

JW: Oh my gosh put a little goji berry in there and a little dark chocolate!

AM: Love both of those too!

JW: You have to live a little bit here right? We don’t want anyone miserable – it’s about healthy choices 80% of the time!

AM: You also have resistance bands! I love and I think it’s so great. I always have a set in my luggage so no matter which bag I take with me, I have them with me when I’m traveling. Do you foresee expanding your brand into a workout line or more devices and gear?

JW: Girl, that’s the dream and we’re living in it. Yes, 100%. I have had some merch in the past. I have had requests to bring it back and I was so excited to bring these pink bands out with my slogan, Get Sweaty. I just like it because to be honest, I’m so inappropriate and I’m ok with who I am. Get Sweaty just means so many things and that’s why I love it so much! The dream is to come out with more products and I definitely have aspirations when it comes to that. Nothing that is locked in that I can share.

AM: I can so see it and how the brand lends itself to being able to hammock so many things.

Are there any projects that you’re able to share that you would like for our readers to know?

JW: Anyone who is looking for any kind of fit tips or workouts, I share those. I have more videos launching with PopSugar which I am very excited about, Fabletics is a great partnership of mine.

IG @msjennawillis

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | JENNA WILLIS

Read the APR ISSUE #100 of Athleisure Mag and see PUSHING NEW LIMITS | Jenna Willis in mag.

INDULGE YOURSELF AND ME TIME | JOSIE NATORI

When we began working in the fashion industry, there are a number of memories that we will never forget that allowed us to see the work of those who have brands that focus on the importance of heritage and artistry. One of our NYFW experiences involved a stunning runway show that showcased dramatic crisp white shirts with architectural collars and accessorized with belts and earrings. We also attended an intimate fragrance launch at her home where she not only played piano for us, but allowed us to see how her brand is truly one that runs seamlessly in your life beyond just what one wears on one's body. Josie Natori is the epitome of refined style, luxury, and the ultimate in self-care.

We sat down with the Founder and Chief Executive of The Natori Co. in her offices in NYC to talk about being a child prodigy in piano, how she climbed the corporate ladder at Merrill Lynch, and how her passion for creativity led to her launching her namesake company which includes a number of coveted labels, and the importance of having brand authenticity and integrity.

ATHLEISURE MAG: It is such a pleasure to see you again! We met many years ago!

JOSIE NATORI: Yes, you were at one of my fragrance launches, I don’t remember which one it was.

AM: Yes it was awhile ago and it was such a beautiful event as I was able to hear you play the piano, and you hosted it at your home. I have been such a fan of the brand for so long so it’s amazing to be here now to talk to you!

When did you realize that you loved fashion and wanted to design?

JN: No, I never said that I wanted to design. I loved fashion, when you grow up in the Philippines, you love clothes. So it was never a dream or an aim or a goal. It was a total accident as it was not something that I would have thought about.

I started out in Wall Street for 9 years and it was a great business to be in. But then I also had this artistic background as a pianist as I had been playing since I was 4 and that creative and artistic aspect as well. I never dreamt of nor wanted to and I don’t like to be called a clothing designer. I’m an artist and a businesswoman. I like beautiful things and I have figured out how to do them.

AM: What do you love about playing the piano?

JN: It’s kind of second nature. You’re born, you dance, you play, you sing, you dance, you act, and my mother, she was also a pianist. So everyone had to play an instrument, you didn’t question it – you just did it. I started playing when I was 4, I performed concerts and at the age of 9, I played solo with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra. Thank God that I did it and I love to play the piano because it’s a great way for me to express myself through the piano.

AM: That really nice.

You came to the US and attended Manhattanville College with your focus in Economics and you’re such a trailblazer, as you climbed the corporate ladder at Merrill Lynch in the 70s.

JN: Yes, I was the first female VP of Investment Banking at Merrill Lynch.

AM: Well what did it mean to you to have that position especially as a woman?

JN: You know what, when I was on Wall Street, that never really occurred to me. Growing up in Manila, I came from a place with strong matriarchal society where the women were very strong. My mother was an entrepreneur, my grandmother was also a businesswoman. I never questioned that. So when other people would look at what I did and say how unique it was, for me I never had that as an issue, I never confronted it, I didn’t worry about it, I just did it. I know that those looking at me felt that as a woman and a minority, I checked 2 boxes, but I never saw it that way. I think that I was just at the right place at the right time and I think that with my background and my upbringing, I had no fear.

AM: What took place for you to transition from being in finance and doing well, to move on to fashion?

JN: Yes, I got bored after being there for 9 years and I came to the decision that I had no desire to be the President of Merrill Lynch. It’s not that I was given that opportunity, but I knew that that wasn’t something that I wanted. I felt that I had climbed the mountain, and I woke up in the morning and I felt that I didn’t have -

AM: That fire.

JN: Yes. So I always knew that I would have my own business because my grandmother is entrepreneurial, my father started his business and he was a self-made man. It was only a question of what business. Then Ken and I got married and I was thinking of what business we could do. We explored a brokerage firm, but we didn’t have the resources and it wasn’t the right time in the Stock Market. So I started exploring and thinking about other businesses like opening up a McDonald’s and other ideas. But it was just by accident that the business of import/export in the Philippines came up. Not in a million years was I thinking about design, it was about the trade of product. It evolved and I was really fortunate and the left brain and the right brain aligned. That’s what was missing. Wall Street had made me work in one way and there is a lot of creativity in that field that people find exciting, but for me, it was boring. In terms of finance I did enjoy making the deals. But in fashion you’re making deals and also working with product. It was exciting and I have always enjoyed fashion, I’m a shopaholic.

AM: What was your vision initially when you first launched the label?

JN: There was no vision, it was just buying and selling. It was just me seeing items and purchasing it and you just keep going. It was only later on when I brought in an embroidered blouse to a buyer and she felt that it would be great as a sleep shirt and so that was lingerie. At the time, lingerie was either lewd or frumpy. So I was lucky that I was able to get into that area and I was also very persistent and I learned on the job!

AM: It’s the best way to go about it sometimes.

JN: No one taught me.

AM: Looking at your brand today, you have a number of labels. What is your process in deciding what pieces will go with what portion of the label and the corresponding design?

JN: I think that over the years we have been fortunate to be able to have some tiers because you have Josie Natori which is the most luxurious, distinctive, and most expensive label and that’s not for everybody and it’s available at Saks in terms of its distribution. Natori is more everyday and it’s at Dillard's and N Natori at Von Maur. It’s for that day-to-day life. We also have Josie which is a bit dormant right now, but it is for that younger customer. We’re just really fortunate to be able to have that a brand that has different tiers and also includes various categories. I think that we have something to offer for everyone. Whether you’re buying a caftan for $6,000, $900, or $198 you see the difference in materials, but the integrity of the brand is there.

AM: I have had the pleasure to wear some of your caftan dresses from Josie Natori and they are the most stunning and beautiful pieces to wear.

JN: Thank you!

AM: One of the things that I like so much about your lines is that you do have a number of licensees and categories that are within the brand. What is your process in terms of how you decide on including accessories, home goods, candles, fragrances, etc?

JN: Well, I think that it was after 5 years. You know, you’re not really a brand until the customer tells you so. When the customer tells you, that’s when you can look at things differently and Natori really is a state of mind. There is a whole philosophy about it. I thought that the brand is about feeling good and there is a sociological element about the brand and there is also a design element. The brand is about having feel good products and being true to yourself as well as feminine. Then there is the actual aesthetic of the design which is the East-West and the modern aspects of it and you can see it in a number of the pieces that we have. It is about bringing art into life.

But when it comes to products, I’m not going to do pots and pans, that doesn’t relate to the brand. We’re focused on the inside and out as well as head-to-toe. Because you can create that East- West in so many places in the home and under the covers. A feel good brand means you’re going to think about fragrances, fabrics, and what makes you feel good. As a brand, I think that we have a point of view and that’s what makes us distinctive and there is also that psychographic where when you buy Natori, it’s a gift to yourself. It’s about feeling feminine, loving yourself, why not? It’s indulgence.

AM: One of my favorite bras is actually from your line as it’s a T-Shirt style super light and comfortable while feeling luxurious. It’s always easy to wear and I agree with you on how the brand inherently has that feel good nature about it.

In looking at the collections that you have, it allows that woman to go out to for a night on the town, to work, to being casual and to really navigate her life. What would be 3 pieces that are essential across your whole brand or for each individual label?

JN: That’s really hard and you know, my philosophy is that we make clothes that make you feel good, feminine, comfortable, elegant, and stylish. But where you wear it, that’s your decision! I’m not telling you what to do! Some people like to take our slip dress and wear it to sleep in, but someone else is wearing it to go out in. So for me, it’s a range of possibilities and a point of view. It’s a sensibility of how you dress you know? It’s a statement, it’s feminine, and to me, it’s about wearing it wherever you want!

In terms of pieces, you want to have that great foundation, so you want to make sure that your underwear is comfortable. Then you have those options of wearing a caftan, or a lovely kimono or a dress. Of course, there’s accessories and it’s hard to point out just one as there are so many options! To me, the items that are closest to your skin are the most important as opposed to what’s outside.

AM: I couldn’t agree more!

There was a runway show that you did years ago and I know my mom and I attended this show. Most of the looks were dynamic white crisp shirts paired with your accessories. I just remember seeing beautiful collars, elements of Geometria, and belts – it was just stunning.

JN: Oh great!

AM: It was like a Dynasty moment which I am a huge fan of as I love the glamour and drama that came through with the way that the characters were styled on that show.

JN: I am very proud of the artistry that we have created for this brand and the handwork comes from the Philippines. We have been able to bring that craftsmanship to our collections and it’s about bringing the best of the past and to apply it to modern luxury whether it's on your body or your bed. I just think that we deserve it. We work so hard on this Earth!

AM: Where do you see the brand going whether it’s collaborations or big product launches that we should keep an eye out for?

JN: We are fortunate that we have built a following and a customer base and we have never taken that for granted! We need to continue to be relevant to the next generation. We want to continue only do the categories that relate to the brand and we always have to think about who our customer is. Each generation is different and I am always thinking about who we can speak to what they are looking for and what makes sense for who we are. We can’t be stuck. My son is the President of Natori and we’re always looking forward and keeping things fresh.

AM: What does it mean to you to have Natori as a member of the CFDA?

JN: Obviously, it’s a wonderful organization that really showcases and supports its members and it’s great to have a voice and I appreciate that. I don’t really consider myself a designer, but I think it is important to be involved whether it’s hosting a function/event, to mentor as well as to advise and to have that representation.

AM: Absolutely.

What are you the most proud of in terms of what you have done with this Empire?

JN: Well, it’s not an empire number 1.

AM: I think it is a big deal to be around as long as you have with your distribution channels, licenses and being a multi-million dollar brand. To start as a sleepwear/lingerie brand and to have an array of celebs like Lady Gaga, Kate Beckinsale, and Rose Huntingon-Whiteley wearing your labels.

JN: I have to say that we are very proud. There aren’t too many brands, I don’t think that have lasted this long and are independent. So I feel that that is something that my family is very proud of. My son Ken taking over as President, but I’m not retiring anytime soon! I’m getting close to 77, but I don’t feel old you know? It’s really a mindset to me and I think young! When I’m traveling with our team, sometimes they say, “can we rest?” and I say, “what do you mean rest? It’s time to go!” They are more than half my age. So it’s fun and I think that we are just proud that we are able to build this brand and we are proud of the connections to the Philippines because I think that without my Asian heritage, and I am very proud about that, it is what distinguishes me and it is my point of differentiation to bring that heritage and background and to bring the essence of that in an art form into our prints and patterns is great to add and to infuse in our modern way of living. It’s been an exciting journey you know? We’re known for our prints and I think that being able to have that distinctive point of view we are proud of what we have offered and continue to do. We are proud of being a privately held and family owned company. But, there is no sitting on your laurels. It’s a very tough environment and we’re just navigating that is the business climate is different and has its challenges. But it’s exciting when you’re doing this and to see what you have built and will continue to do as you evolve and to present yourself the way that you want to present yourself. There is freedom in being able to do that. I’m proud of that and I think the real test is that I want the brand to live beyond me. It has to keep on going and we can’t bastardize the brand. I’d rather keep the brand like this and to have integrity which is important to me.

AM: You have been such a trailblazer and it has been such an honor to have you talk with us about the brand so that we can share with our fans and readers of Athleisure Mag!

JN: I’ve looked at your magazine and Athleisure doesn’t mean that you’re just wearing the sweats, track suits, or activewear. I think the term and how you present it is redefining it. Natori is a way of dressing. It’s a way of dressing that’s feminine, glamorous, statement, full of color, happy, and it feels good. It’s a mindset of how you want to be whether I’m relaxing and reading the paper on the couch. Athleisure is my time! It’s me time! That’s why Natori is about buying for yourself! You can buy it and afford the pieces that you want and I think it is interesting!

IG @natori

@josienatori

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Natori

Read the APR ISSUE #100 of Athleisure Mag and see INDULGE YOURSELF AND ME TIME | Josie Natori in mag.

THE JOY OF ACCESSORIES | TONY DROCKTON, HAMMITT

Accessories are always the favorite part of our look and it's always great to add to our collection. Over a decade ago, we learned about a boho brand that allowed us to wear them with a number of our outfits, no matter the style we were rocking at the time. This brand is known for their leathers, fabrication, style, and very quickly become a go-to that you enjoy wearing!

We caught up with CEO/Founder, and Chief Cheerleader, Tony Drockton of Hammitt. His passion for this brand and its growth is undeniable. He believes in having fun in the workplace and creating memories for those that will wear the brand as they make it their own. We wanted to know more about how the brand started, how he came to the brand, the design aesthetic, and upcoming projects that we should keep an eye out for.

ATHLEISURE MAG: It’s such a pleasure to connect with you as we have been a fan of the brand for as long as it has been around! I also love that we have a few things in common from both of us being from the Midwest!

TONY DROCKTON: I’m from Cleveland and I get to make fun of it because I was born there. It was great growing up there, but then I just absolutely wanted more. I like going back, I’m grateful to have family there, but I’m also grateful as you know – you being on the East Coast and me on the West Coast, it’s great to be here! Where in Indiana?

AM: Indianapolis and my parents met and graduated from your Alma mater, Bowling Green State University!

TD: Oh wow! I’ll be back there in BG this month.

AM: Nice, I went to Indiana University.

TD: Yup, that’s a good one! BG, they have a thing called Entrepreneurship Week every year and I started going back last year and I’m going back this year. I get to speak and judge a competition it’s so fun!

AM: Before we delve into talking about the brand, can you tell me about your background and how you came to Hammitt?

TD: Well we are in our 16th year, quick start, I bumped into Stephanie Hammitt when she was making the bags locally and I fell in love with her as a person as she’s wonderful. She was looking for an investor and I loved the designs and the brand and thought, “let’s give this a shot.” That’s the nexus and once I got into this industry, I fell in love with it.

AM: I remember being gifted a back back in 2009 at an Editor event and I love a lot of the things about that bag that are still cornerstones of the brand. The hardware – the rivets are one of my favorite things, the beautiful fabrication, just how easy it is to wear. I would take them with me to TV segments, a number of events, and travels. I think that it is a testament to the brand that it has really held true as well as having grown into other categories, which is great!

TD: Thank you! The DNA of the brand has been since Stephanie Hammitt and it has really iterated along what we felt would improve the functionality, keep it relevant on the design side, and more importantly to last multiple generations. It’s really about standing the test of time like you mentioned. That’s what we look to do with every new design and also some of our earliest designs are some of our best sellers.

AM: For those that aren’t familiar with the brand, how would you describe what Hammitt is and what are those main things about the brand that people can always see?

TD: I’d say the joy of the brand is how I like to describe it. Like you said, years ago you ran into it and you still remember it and wear it. I think that whether you’re manufacturing footwear or handbags or furniture or cars, when you make something that people get joy out of being apart of, wearing, driving, being in a community of, you’ve nailed it. Think of the late Tony Hsieh, the founder of Zappos, I was just relistening to his biography and he talked about how he wasn’t a shoe guy, he was an experience guy and that he wanted to make sure that his internal team, his vendors, and his customers all had a great experience with Zappos. I follow that same lead with Hammitt.

AM: Being the CEO and the Co-Founder of the brand, tell me about your roles at Hammitt and I also love that you are the Chief Cheerleader which I think is awesome!

TD: Thank you! Well you know, when you’re the founder, you do it all. There’s just a couple of us in the office including our current designer, Jeanne Allen, she's on her 10th year. Then you grow into sort of more of a leadership role as a CEO. I stepped away and became Chairman and brought in a CEO for 7 years and then he just retired. We retired our first long time Hammitt person in March and now I'm CEO again! So I’m Founder, CEO, and also the Chief Cheerleader which has always sort of been my role. I go back to my football days where I was always the guy cheering them on whether I was on defense or offense saying, “we can do it, we can do it!” Whether we were down 1 or up as you want to keep up that energy.

I think it’s very important for people to have fun wherever they work and also cheerleading our team during some of the tougher years. It’s just as important to remind people to stay humble when things are going as well as they are right now and that’s a cheerleader right?

AM: Absolutely.

What’s an average day or week like for you at the brand?

TD: Ha! There isn’t one! You really want to have an open schedule for when people need you. I’m a big believer in keeping that so that I can have 1:1 time as needed. We also have a limited number of regular meetings that we all have within the company and then I try to spend as much of my time in front of our customers or in front of our retail sales associates at our 3 stores, or with our vendors out in some of our Wholesale partners. That’s the joy of standing by our collection in the middle of Minneapolis, and having people try it on and to ask them how they know Hammitt or standing in my store. Or it’s about walking down the street when someone has it on in the wild and asking them how they know about the brand? The next words they say are the words that energize me. Most of the time it’s, “oh I just love this bag, it was given to me by somebody,” or “that it has traveled with me all around the world.” Sometimes it’s simply how many memories that it has created. That’s what they usually talk about. That’s what is so wonderful!

AM: Well, I love the fact that you are so in tune from the customer side and also with your team. My background was in Wholesale, I worked at Lacoste so I dealt with a lot of our accounts. When you see someone that is in the C-Suite that’s rolling their sleeves up, it’s actually energizing not only from a customer perspective, but the actual team of employees that works together. So that’s amazing.

TD: You know Kimmie, in the earliest days, every new person had to work in our in-house distribution center for at least a week. They got to run the products, they got to ship them, pack them, write the handwritten notes when people purchased them, look at the repairs when they came in, and check in new product. That sort of energy can’t be recreated by starting in the office. We’re much bigger now so not everyone is in our fulfillment center, but many of us still spend time on the retail floor, and if we don’t do that, we absolutely spend time at our events. We throw a lot of events and our team always shows up to support. Being in front of the people that love the brand, it’s not work. If it’s work, get out! The greatest companies in the world do this all the time whether it’s in the fashion industry, or any other industry, or the service industry right?

AM: Yup! 100%

How would you define the Hammitt customer?

TD: Ooo. You know, laying aside demographics and laying aside the main psychographics, she loves life and that’s our customer.

AM: I love that! You never know what detailed answer will come with a question like that and it’s great when you hear it, but there is something simple and expansive about she loves life!

I love that the assortment is so diverse whether you’re minimal or not. Can you walk us through the assortment or major product types of the brand?

TD: Well, let’s start with some signature pieces that have been around for about 5-15 years. We have our Daniel which is our satchel and it’s carried all over the country. It can hold a notebook computer or it can hold just a couple of things for the day. We have the Bryant right next to that – those 2 go hand-in-hand. Our collectors have both. Then you go into our clutches and we have the VIP which has been around since almost the beginning and there is a whole series of VIP different styles around that. The belt bag is hot right now so Charles is in charge. There’s a slingback so you can wear it around or wear it as a crossbody it’s a great bag. Then we drop down into the bag that I like because it’s called The Tony!

AM: That’s fair!

TD: It’s a perennial winner when it comes to events. I’m sure for Athleisure Magazine, there are a couple of people that might like sports and you have to have a clear bag when you’re going into the stadiums! Then The Tony leather sits side by side that series. Then we have a new entrant called the Kyle. Kyle is small and goes everywhere for the woman who seeks joy and goes everywhere, she’s going to love Kyle!

AM: Wow! When does the Kyle come out?

TD: Let’s just say that it could be out by the time that people are reading this!

AM: Ok!

So if there had to be only 3 bags that a woman would take to start or round out her collection what would those essentials be in the world of Hammitt?

TD: If she’s going on a trip and she can only take 3, I think that she's going to pack the Charles for everyday and probably inside of that, she is going to have a Tony or a VIP to go out with friends or for some events. Those are the go-to bags that I see most women carrying.

I have to mention one more!

AM: See that’s what happens!

TD: It just came out and we just dropped our VIP Mobile which carries a mobile phone and everything that you need in a day.

AM: In terms of fabrication, I love that you just have so many colors and textures. What’s your approach when it comes to colorways in general or as it pertains to the different bodies?

TD: The beauty of having a brand that has been developed over this time, I have an amazing design team led By Jeanne and Collier Smith, they’re all about color theory and one just currently came back from over seas and the other is in Brazil right now. Additionally, they were in Paris, they have been to Milan, so they just finished choosing colors for Spring 25 and they’re already looking for colors for Summer 25. They really look at color as a combination of when the bags are going to come out and what is the inspiration for the collection. So, they have some pastels in our Fall collection for 24 and they’re pastels – they’re right on the runway in the Fall collections. They really try to align both with that woman that loves to be a little bit on the fashion edge while also always wanting something that is timeless. So they walk that line with color theory.

AM: In terms of hardware, I have always loved that about the brand as well. Is that the same thought that goes into that by maintaining certain elements of it and deviating a bit here and there depending on the styles that it is on?

TD: You know, we’re really consistent on our hardware. The reason for that is the DNA of the brand is actually the look of the the brand from far away and across the street. So that signature rivet detail either comes down on the side, the bottom, or the front of every design. It’s 1 size rivet and it’s spaced pretty consistently and that’s the main hardware. Then the other piece of hardware is interchangeable, for example, all of our straps are removable so you can move them from bag to bag especially when trends change. So, we’re pretty consistent. But I will let you in on a secret – we might be working on a new custom piece of hardware that may come out sometime this year and that’s new for us! What we will do also is that within the rivet, we may change finishes and we might even change to a custom rivet for one of our collectible editions. We have done a lot of collaborations. So we have done collaborations with different brands so there will be some customization on the actual rivet for a specific collection which you might have seen in the past on a few items and you’re definitely going to see that later on this year.

AM: Well that’s exciting.

What is your process in terms of your inline items when you’re thinking of adding items to the heritage of the brand versus keeping the core?

TD: Again, the design team, their call to action is that when they see a need in the market, then they’re going to bring us a new silhouette. So we don’t hamper them and say that we need 4,000 new silhouettes every week. In general, it comes down to about 4 times a year that they’re going to bring out a silhouette that fills a need as functionality is the backbone of the brand, but that is also probably on trend as we do have the classic silhouettes that are already in place. It’s a combination of the two and I will let you in on another one, every time that we launch a new silhouette, a single H rivet that we put on it is on the right corner and it signifies that it is brand new. It’s only on it when we launch it.

AM: I like that, it’s almost like a hidden Mickey when you go to Disney. When you know where to look.

TD: Yeah! I heard of this thing about the first pickle at Disneyland, have you heard about it?

AM: Yeah I had heard something about it!

TD: We have some Disney girls that work for us and if you’re the first one in the park and you run to the pickle vendor, you get the first pickle and then a button! I love Easter Eggs.

AM: Same!

TD: When I was a young kid playing video games and you would bump into the secret doorway or you would have to tap the keys in a certain way to open up another level, we have a lot of those in this brand!

AM: I love it!

TD: This catalog right here is our latest one and it has multiple hidden Easter Eggs inside of it. We have the H rivet on our bags, inside of our bags is a little vintage tag which actually says when it was made, every bag has a secret little red somewhere whether it’s outside or inside, and it goes on and on and on.

AM: That’s so fun because as people grow with the brand, they have these fun things to look for and there’s always something new to unveil which is what makes the brand so exciting.

TD: It is! People want familiarity, I believe and the familiarity is the consistency of our long term silhouettes and the signature of the detail and the high quality in the functionality. So they also want something new and when we launch a pure fashion collection, so right now it’s April, we just came out with a new colorway on the VIP that will only be launched now on that silhouette and when it’s gone it’s gone. So it’s a seasonal exclusive, now we also may have repeat seasonal colorways that we bring back every year and that would be normally on newer silhouettes or on other ones. So next year if a leather is really good and then we have our long time perennial leathers that we use over and over again and that’s what we call our bestseller collection. So we have the combination of the 3 and that really allows us to serve every customers needs.

AM: About how many launches would you say a year are taking place – or drops? Because I always love that in accessories it tends to be different then in apparel.

TD: They design in quarter periods. So this year, we call is 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, and 24.4, but traditionally they would call it I guess, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Holiday, Cruise but within each one of those quarters, we have our monthly collections and within our monthly, we also have our weekly drops. So really, every week we’re dropping a new leather family and/or a new leather family with a new silhouette. Every month we have new combinations of either leather families or silhouettes and for every quarter, we have a new collection that tells a story.

AM: Your Sales Meetings must be interesting because that’s massive!

TD: Well, that’s our design team. I love it and they come up with everything. They get inspired and we’re in our 24.2 which is Summer. By the way, do you know Jose Canseco?

AM: Um of course one of the premier power hitters in MLB with the A’s and played for a number of teams including the Yankees!

TD: Well, our latest catalog as you can see here, this is his daughter Josie (Kygo Feat. Ella Henderson - Here for You video, Kith Park: SS2019 NYFW, The Surreal Life)! She’s adorable and amazing.

AM: When you first were talking about the catalog a few minutes back and I was looking at it, I thought wow Jessica looks really good but I know she is much older then the young girl that is on the cover, but wow that’s her daughter!

TD: That’s Josie, we shot her last month and this catalog is our summer collection and it was inspired by our hometown of Hermosa Beach which is where the brand is born and raised, where I live right now with my son, our offices, and Hermosa is a very eclectic town. It’s right next to Manhattan Beach, but it’s its own personality. They came back and that was about a year ago and they laid out what they thought would be a collection to honor our hometown and she was perfect. We shot her and everything came together in this collection of what I just told you about it. It has monthly drops, it has weekly drops, we had a big launch event on April 4th and that’s the first time that we have done this sort of launch. But it’s about bringing everyone together to honor our little town of Hermosa Beach – it’s been fun.

AM: How do you approach doing collaborations and partnerships. I love the work that you have been dong within Mary Fitzgerald of Netflix's Selling Sunset as I think she’s great and you can see how she is aligned with the brand.

TD: We love Mary, she was truly a fan for a long time like you, she knew Hammitt. She was a real estate agent right here on the South Bay where we’re from and then she went out to the West side and had the show, she already had our bags so she was already wearing them. That’s one way that we do collaborations when it seems to be a match. Another way is when my design team and myself love art! Art is my personal inspiration. I go to Art Basel, whenever I travel I go to a lot of modern museums so does Jeanne so does Collier and we found Alex Alpert who is our latest collaboration and we found him at Art Basel a couple of years ago and we’re launching with him this quarter next month. It’s graffiti and when you at look at the design, it’s actually all Hermosa Beach, it’s our city, its waves, volleyball, our logo and he drew this on leather and then we made it into the collection. And that rivet which you can see is a melting rivet.

AM: Which is pretty cool.

TD: So Alex is a fulltime artist, young, very cool and he has a collaboration that I can’t mention coming out with a global brand. He’s gotten really lucky and I don’t even know if he is even 30 yet! The commonality between Mary and Alex – it’s the ones that we think have a great personality. They love life and we want to really collaborate with people where we enjoy the relationship.

AM: Are there other collaborations that we should also keep an eye out for? Are you thinking about LA28 which is coming up? I could see some amazing things there.

TD: Yeah, so there’s a women’s rally launching in the Fall called the Princess Rally and it’s a 100 women driving sports cars from Southern California up to Northern California and it’s sponsored by Richard Mille, a luxury watch brand. We’re doing a collaboration between us, Richard Mille, and them.

Every September we have what we call the September Issue. We have a collaborative bag that will be coming out for that this year as well. Then at the end of the year, there is an artist that we have a collaboration coming out with and she is a print artist and that’s Dani Dazey. She has already posted about it and she's lovely! She’s so great and she did a beautiful print and we have a whole collection that we will be dropping before the end of the year with her. We’re already working on our collaborations for ’25.

AM: Haha I’m always thinking of something. Being that my background is in fashion, being a Fashion Stylist, as well as being an Accessory Expert, I love seeing true collaborations between people or brands that are amazing on their own, but when they are brought together, you truly have a whole new way of looking at something that you really appreciate.

TD: You know, it’s wonderful right? One of the things that we do is these pop-ups as we have 3 retail stores – Manhattan Beach, South Coast Plaza, and Le Jolla here in California. For Women’s Month in March last month, every Saturday, there were 5 of them and across 3 stores, we had 15 pop-ups of small artisans – candlemakers, hatmakers, flowers, and permanent jewelry. They came and set up in our stores on a Saturday and we welcomed in our customers to meet them and they brought their fans and we had champagne, drinks, and music pumping. It was a really great atmosphere and we will be bringing in a lot more of that as we go on throughout the year. It was very successful.

AM: Do you do pop-ups outside of California like here in NY? Or are you thinking of making a store in NY?

TD: We have had pop-ups throughout the country, not in the traditional open for 2 month set up. But we have sat inside a Kendra Scott store in The Hamptons or back in their hometown. We have been invited to do trunk shows all over the country with our retail partners and we still do. We just celebrated National Hammitt Day with our largest partner on a Saturday and they had a small gift for all of their clients and it was a lot of fun. NYC, it’s still on my map and my bucket list. In our earliest day, we used to do a week in the windows of Henri Bendel for Hammitt when they were around.

AM: I remember! I loved that store and still miss it!

TD: I loved it too and I liked us being there. So I have always wanted to come back to NY in style and be on 5th Ave for our own pop-up and it will happen one day!

AM: That is so amazing and I can’t wait for that. Are there any pop-ups in your local area that you want to share that are taking place this Spring or Summer that we can keep an eye out for for our readers?

TD: I would say that in our 3 stores at least 1 to 2 times a month we have small artisans and makers that will be coming in and so look out for those. On May 17th is our Annual Investors Day. So we did a crowd funding and we have a lot of collectors who invested and we are bringing them all together and it’s a day of joy and fun. We can share our results and what we’re doing moving forward. This will be the first time that we have done that. So this will be great. Then once a year we usually have an in-person event that is in Nov where people fly in from all over the country and it’s a theme. Last year’s was Mama Mia and it was a Greek theme and people get to come and be in that theme to have fun, food, and great cocktails. It’s also a great way for them to be able to see all of our latest designs.

AM: Obviously as we’ve been talking, it’s a women’s brand, but there are a lot of pieces that translate for a man as well. Would you ever create a men’s capsule collection or go in that direction in some way?

TD: [Smiles]

AM: I thought so!

TD: I don’t know, maybe you’re on to something haha!

AM: What have been some of the things that you have been proud of for this brand?

TD: I mean, I’m always the proudest when someone comes up to me and tells me how much they have loved my Hammitt. It’s always what they do with them, where they traveled, who they got it from, what memories they have created, and the second piece of it is our team! I was so proud of Angel who was just in NYC.

AM: Yup, I saw him and had the chance to chat with him at the Accessories Council event at Tin Building by Jean-Georges.

TD: He started at our retail store 3 years ago and I asked him what he wanted to do and he told me that he wanted to work at our headquarters. I said great and I told him that when he was ready, let’s go.

AM: What are things that are taking place with the brand whether it’s holiday season or whatever that you’re able to share that it longer term that we can keep an eye out for.

TD: I just saw our Holiday collection. It just came in and it’s mind blowing. It’s the colors, the textures, and it’s going to take it to another level and is a celebration of who we are. I gave you the secrets of Fall – the Princess Rally is going to be great, our September Issue, wait until you see it. That’s all I can give you for now!

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Hammitt

Read the APR ISSUE #100 of Athleisure Mag and see THE JOY OF ACCESSORIES | Tony Drockton, Hammitt in mag.