Athleisure Culture is all about how the different lifestyles come together and it lends itself to some pretty amazing mashups. We took a moment to chat with Y7's founder, Sarah Levey who has merged yoga and hip-hop together through her classes which have a great following of enthusiasts, who enjoy studio classes on the west and east coasts! In addition, she is a part of Cole Haan's StudiøGrand campaign, so it was the perfect time to talk with her about her involvement in this collaboration, how she came about creating Y7 and how she keeps it together.
ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about how you came to be involved in the Cole Haan StudiøGrand campaign?
SARAH LEVEY: As a young and self-funded woman I know every step I take needs to have meaning. Cole Haan reached out to me and pitched their StudiøGrand campaign concept… I knew immediately it would be a fit for me and the Y7 Studio. And it’s certainly been fun!
AM: What is StudiøGrand?
SL: StudiøGrand is a versatile women’s lifestyle collection born out of a need to fit the active on-the-go woman from the studio to work and everywhere in between. Making every step count, the collection features understated minimalist silhouettes and items such as outerwear, shoes, bags, water bottles, yoga mats - it’s a complete lifestyle collection.
AM: How does this campaign align with your brand and way that you go about your day to day?
SL: StudiøGrand is a great fit for Y7 as the collection offers style and function. So often my clients are trying to squeeze so much out of their day (work, kids, dating, etc) and this collection makes it possible for them to make the most out of every step. The collection is both stylish and comfortable, so you can wrap up a great yoga session at my studio and then head off to brunch with the girls.
AM: Tell us about Y7 Studio and what made you create this method of fitness.
SL: I love music. It is so powerful. For me it can elevate, motivate and relax my mood depending on the beat or song. I thought why not take two things I love and put them together. There are no rules for this. It's an opportunity for the client to work on what they want to focus on. If they want to make the flow harder and add in poses great, if they want to take it easy that day that’s good too. It's all about giving our clients the freedom they are craving in that moment.
AM: What should we keep our eye out for as we go into the spring in terms of new offerings that will be available at the studio whether it's a new location here in NYC, class etc?
SL: We are trying to take over! You can expect a ton of new merch collections dropping monthly, plus we will be opening more locations in NYC and LA.
AM: How do you stay balanced in the midst of running a business (especially with your significant other - which we understand that very well), being a Boss Babe and leaving time for yourself?
SL: It’s definitely challenging. I am almost always overwhelmed with emails, meetings and check-ins with my staff. What has been a game changer for me is putting our corporate team in place. Alex (Director of Operations), Melanie (Retail Coordinator), Natalie (HR) and Stephanie (Teaching Director) are incredible and really help keep me focused and hold me accountable. I also recently set a bedtime and do a nightly meditation routine just so I can take some personal time. It’s not much, but I am working on taking more time for myself so I can be the best possible person for my team.
AM: What are your favorite pieces from this StudiøGrand collection?
SL: The StudiøGrand Bomber for sure! It's the perfect weight and easy for layering. And to top it off, I got to wear it in the campaign shoot! The shoes are so comfortable and stylish as well. The entire collection is extremely versatile.
See additional notables that were tapped to be a part of this campaign including: New York City Ballet's Principal Dancer Sarah Mearns and Model, Entrepreneur and Author Coco Rocha.
Read more from the Jan Issue.
