Popular Australian athleisure brand PE Nation has revealed a surprising new direction, two months after co-founder Pip Edwards announced she was stepping away from the brand.
Chief executive Hamish Stuart said the brand was looking for a “cleaner” and more minimalist approach to its design to appeal to an aging market.
He added that the brand’s long-standing customers were in a “different stage of their lives and the brand’s designs should reflect that change.”
“When (PE Nation) launched, the success they had was largely due to this urban street, tomboy type of product,” she said The daily telegraph. ‘You’re talking a lot of color splicing, animal prints and multi-layered graphics.
‘I was busy. The product was busy.’
Both Pip and his co-founder Clair Greaves stepped away from the brand this year and Hamish said customers were looking for something more minimalist in their sportswear.
“What the girls have built over the last nine years has been amazing, but the customer is looking for something different,” she said.
“The customer is in a different phase of their life, they want things that are a little cleaner, a little more minimalist, but still sophisticated, and still have that element or pop of color, an element of PE, the DNA. of the brand.’
Popular Australian athleisure brand PE Nation has revealed a new direction, two months after co-founder Pip Edwards (pictured) announced she was stepping away from the brand.
The brand’s chief executive, Hamish Stuart, said they are opting for a “more minimalist approach to their design to appeal to an aging market”. Pictured: A mockup showing PE Nation’s new designs.
In August, Pip revealed he was taking a “step back” from his popular fashion brand.
The designer revealed that while she will continue to be a force at the brand, she will no longer hold the creative director role she took on following the departure of co-founder Claire Greaves in March.
“Following PE Nation’s celebrated and successful rebrand at Sydney Fashion Week, I will be stepping down as Creative Director of PE Nation to pursue new creative challenges,” Pip wrote in a lengthy Instagram caption.
‘When (PE Nation) was launched, the success they had was largely due to this tomboyish, urbane type product. You’re talking a lot of color splicing, animal prints, and multi-layered graphics. I was busy. The product was busy,” Stuart said.
‘My time leading the brand as creative director has been incredible and, while I step down from that role, I maintain my leadership of PE Nation and my substantial shareholding.
“I will always be grateful and proud of what we have created, and PE Nation will always be in my heart and soul,” she continued.
‘As the brand grew, I grew. And just like the rebirth of PE Nation, now is the time to continue my personal Re/Creation era.’
PE Nation confirmed that Claire would step away from the business in March and that Pip would take over as sole creative director.
The shocking decision ended one of the longest-running relationships in Australian fashion, and the friends have since been hit by rumors of a split.
Pip and Claire co-founded the athleisure brand in Sydney in 2015 and grew it into a thriving global business.
Both Pip (left) and his co-founder Clair Greaves (right) stepped away from the brand this year and Hamish said customers were looking for something more minimalist in their athleisure sport.
