In a city overflowing with healthy living enthusiasts, it can easily be said that yoga is one of the predominant activities here in Vancouver. No matter where you find yourself, it’s guaranteed you’ll pass by a yoga studio or spot a group of yogis toting their mats around after a class of Power Vinyasa. For this vendor feature, Portobello West got the lowdown on Inner Fire Apparel, a local business devoted to bringing fellow yogis unique and cunning designs outside the norm.
Leah is both a yoga teacher and founder of Inner Fire Apparel. In her words, “Inner Fire is a small Vancouver-based company that creates yoga apparel and lifestyle products for the urban yogi. The company offers a unique brand of clever and inspirational designs on and off the mat.” With the intention to “create designs that make people smile, laugh, and feel inspired,” Inner Fire’s products are sure to bring something fresh to each customer’s yoga gear collection. “We also care about using fashion to make a positive impact on our environment,” she tells us. The iconic Inner Fire leggings in popular galaxy print are made from recycled water bottles right here in Vancouver. Through unique designs and environmental awareness, Inner Fire Apparel is pleasing to each and every yogi.
Initially, Leah’s creations started out simple; “I started screen-printing because I wanted to have a shirt with a quirky saying on it, but I couldn’t find it anywhere else.” She explains. “As I wore my own printed shirts in my yoga classes, people kept asking me where I got them from, so I decided to start a shirt company!” From there, the leggings were born. “When I launched the leggings, there was definitely a learning curve and I had to learn a lot about the manufacturing process.” With no formal training in fashion or graphic design, Leah has found her way in the apparel industry. “It’s so great that we have everything here in Vancouver to create a high quality product that is on par with some of the bigger brands out there.”
When asked about where she derives her inspiration from, Leah explains, “through yoga practice and study, and being connected to the yoga community both locally and abroad, I have picked up so many nuggets of inspiration and wisdom that feed my creative process.” From the beginning, her intention was to “communicate the teachings of yoga in small subtle ways.” As a self-proclaimed word nerd, many of the designs include punchy yoga puns and plays on Sanskrit terms. ‘More Dharma Less Drama’ and ‘I’m Just Here For The Savasana’ are just a couple of the humorous slogans that Leah has come up with for her designs. Ultimately, the goal of Inner Fire products is to spark a little yogi humor. “I love it when one of my designs makes someone laugh – it’s that instant ‘I got the joke’ feeling that lightens one’s mood.”
It’s clear that competition in the niche market of yoga apparel is fairly large here in Vancouver, but Inner Fire Apparel has held it’s own and paved its own way to success.
“When I started the business, I was very well aware that there are some giants out there that are difficult to compete with. I really wanted the clothing to be worn on and off the mat so I made a conscious decision to stick with casual cuts and non-technical fabric for my tops.” Leah explains, when asked about establishing her business. “Using blanks also made it a lot easier for me to initially get my product to market without huge up-front costs.” By starting small and continuously growing, the gradual successes of Inner Fire Apparel leave customers constantly waiting for more. “I am only now starting to venture into the technical apparel market with the leggings, which is both fun and scary at the same time!”
By using Inner Fire as a way to “express my own personality through printed media,” Leah’s products are incomparable to any yoga apparel giants. “It’s actually been an advantage to start my business in such a yoga-centric city. People actually get my jokes!” With the support from a vast yoga community, Inner Fire’s growth is constantly evolving. “Another great thing about being an entrepreneur in this day in age is that e-commerce has really allowed me to reach out to a truly global audience. It’s definitely an exciting time!”
Another thing that has Leah excited is being a local vendor. As a born and raised Vancouverite, “I feel super blessed to be surrounded by so many vibrant communities and neighborhoods,” she proclaims. Inner Fire’s summer schedule is something to look forward to as well, “it’s hard not to fill up the a whole summer with different festivals and events.” Meeting new people at markets has Leah ready for what’s to come next on her journey, “it leaves me feeling charged up and gets my creative juices flowing for the next project.” And that leaves us excited to see what’s in store for Inner Fire Apparel!
Written By: Kelli Klassen
VISIT The Inner Fire Website: http://www.myinnerfire.com/
LIKE Inner Fire on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myinnerfire
TWEET Inner Fire on Twitter: https://twitter.com/innerfirelife
PIN Inner Fire on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/innerfirestyle/
FOLLOW Inner Fire on Instagram: http://instagram.com/myinnerfire