“Living well is no coincidence or game of chance – it’s a focused decision to make every single day count. Active Living is my philosophy and the way that I live my life. It helps me to achieve in life and feel happy, healthy and energised” – Lorna Jane
From a dental therapist in Brisbane to a global active-living advocate, business entrepreneur / fashion designer and author, Lorna Jane Clarkson is a home-grown success story.
“Who would have thought when I started making activewear all those years ago that Lorna Jane would one day be a leading global brand?,” she said. “It just goes to show where passion and following your dreams can take you.”
And dream she did – big time.
Modern women around the world love her comfortable yet fashionable activewear line because it truly caters to their busy lifestyle by closing the gap between gym gear and cafe attire.
The demand has been so strong LJ recently launched the new `Uniquely’ range, their most fashion-forward yet.
In fact, Lorna Jane’s activewear sparked the sport luxe craze before it was even a `thing’, now chic sportswear is a globally-recognised fashion trend.
“This (Uniquely) range certainly cements the fact that the days of activewear being perceived as gym wear are well and truly over,” she said.
But launching a fitness fashion movement was always front of mind for Lorna when she created the LJ brand 25 years ago.
“From day one my vision has always been for women to wear their activewear beyond their workouts,” she said. “I’m so pleased that my persistence has paid off and women around the world are proudly wearing their activewear to do almost everything and looking great while doing it!”
Lorna Jane is the exclusive Fitness Partner at Vitality – Australia’s premier destination for health, wellness and beauty.
We recently interviewed Lorna from LA about empowering women through the new MNB network; how to lead a balanced life; her ultimate indulgence; and the best business advice for entrepreneurial women hoping to achieve similar success.
To further empower your female audience, you launched popular online destination Move Nourish Believe, what has been the reaction to this? What do you hope this offers the Lorna Jane woman?
Put simply, the Move Nourish Believe blog is a roadmap to Active Living. It’s where women can come to learn how to MOVE NOURISH and BELIEVE and ultimately lead amazing, positive lives.
Thousands of women around the globe visit the blog every day for everything from their daily dose of inspiration, healthy and delicious recipes through to up-to-date ways on how to get their move on. It’s also a great place for sporty sisters to share advice and words of encouragement with one another.
If you haven’t visited the site already, what are you waiting for?
You are now celebrated as an icon of Australian fashion, you live and breathe your brand – how do you juggle each aspect of your life? What’s the secret to achieving balance?’
This is where my Active Living philosophy really comes into force! It allows me to feel energised and positive every single day, which is essential when you have a busy schedule and want to achieve great things in life. The key for me to a balanced life is taking time out to dedicate to yourself every day.
Exercise is a non-negotiable part of my day and I start every day with a workout, whether it’s yoga, walking my dog or strength training. This energises me, make me feel positive and ready for another amazing day.
What’s your daily mantra or motto that helps you get through the tough days and inspires you to keep going?
Active Living is easy to achieve by just about anyone when you break it down into the daily practice of Move Nourish and Believe. If you simply make the commitment to MOVE your body every day, NOURISH from the inside out and BELIEVE anything is possible (if you are willing to work for it).
What’s your ultimate indulgence?
I absolutely LOVE the homemade raspberry and hazelnut chocolate recipe from my upcoming cookbook – NOURISH- The Fit Women’s Cookbook. It’s the perfect chocolate treat because it’s made with cacao, is sugar-free and actually good for you!
What’s the best business advice you could give to young women who aspire to achieve similar success in the fitness field and beyond?
Follow your dreams, believe in yourself and never, never, never give up!
You have a recipe book in the works – can you tell us a little more about this?
NOURISH – The Fit Woman’s Cookbook is due for release July 2014 and contains more than 100 of my favourite recipes including breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, snacks, smoothies and elixirs. It also incorporates meal planners and my tips for establishing healthy eating habits, improving digestion, hydration and alkalinity.
My aim when compiling Nourish was to help women improve their lives by focusing on nourishment rather than dieting. The connection between the foods we eat and the way we feel is incredible and I’m sure my new book will help women look and feel their very best through good nutrition.
A key focus of Nourish is encouraging women to get off the diet treadmill and instead nourish their bodies with healthy food rather than depriving themselves. Trust me- it’s much easier than you would think!
Lorna Jane are the exclusive Fitness Partner of Vitality 2014 – what can visitors expect from your space at the event? What do you hope they take away from the experience?
Visitors will be in for a real treat when they visit us at Vitality! Not only will they see the best activewear on the planet, but they’ll also be treated to some of the delicious snacks from my cookbook.
I’ll also be dropping by to meet customers and do a book signing. It will be a fantastic event- I can’t wait!
With so much you have already achieved, and so many titles to your name, what else could possibly be on the horizon for Lorna Jane Clarkson? What is in store for the future?
We are planning to open even more stores in the US following the amazing response from our American customers. We currently have 25 stores and plan on opening another 20 before the end of the year. We’ll also be continuing with our global expansion throughout Asia and Europe.
We’re also looking into opening more ‘Active Living Rooms’, which bring the Active living philosophy to life with the combination of a move studio, Lorna Jane store and a nourish cafe all in the one destination.
And last, but most importantly, inspiring even more women around the world to live their best lives through Active Living. This is my passion in life and the reason I jump out of bed every morning. I’m sure I’ll be doing this in five years, ten years even 20 years and I can’t wait to get on with it!
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