This Balenciaga-Inspired Activewear Brand Is Perfect for the Label-Loving Yogi
Think that name sounds awfully similar to a very well-known French design house? You'd be right. "Consider it a fan brand inspired by Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, and Vêtements, as well as global pop culture," says Desserrey, who started fantasizing about creating a fitness-fashion line five years ago while working as a freelance creative strategist for Christian Dior, YSL, and Louis Vuitton in Paris.
"Consider it a fan brand inspired by Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, and Vêtements."
When she wasn't shuttling between ateliers, she was in a studio working on her asanas. "I showed up to my first class and left feeling lighter than I ever have," she says. "I just kept showing up, and the mat became my happy place, my inspiration." Ultimately, the yogi wound up ditching her day job to join a teacher training program in Venice, California—which is how she found herself living the athleisure life. She created Balencyoga to help pay for her studies.
The 10-item collection includes tees, crop tops, tanks, and leggings that cost $35–$90 (making it possible to live out your designer dreams on a freelancer's salary). The pieces have a decidedly downtown-chic, Alexander Wang vibe. Read: lots of black cotton—as well as visible labels (tapping into the return of the '90s logo obsession that's super buzzy right now).
Of course, while Desserrey looks at her clothes and sees inspiration—others might see appropriation. But the designer likens her Balenciaga-inspired line to aspiring musicians who perform and share covers of their favorite artists on YouTube. "Balencyoga is actually a way of doing what I know—fashion—for yogis like me, while paying tribute to my favorite brands," she says. Too soon to tell, but perhaps it's the start of a new haute yoga trend.
There's nothing wrong with sporting luxe designer duds, like a pair of chic statement sneakers, during your work out. Here's how one fashion guru pulls it off.
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