Meet Alana - Idea Athletic Founder - Australian Activewear Brand, Sweat Resistant, Sweat Wicking Activewear

Our Founder

Meet Alana

Alana Clarkson is the brains and exercise fanatic behind Idea Athletic, a product she has been subconsciously researching for over 10 years!

Alana has always been passionate about health and wellness, including working as a fitness instructor. This means she has worn nearly every type of activewear that’s ever existed, and yes that includes tights that have ridden up, rolled down, thinned out and most of all dampened around her thighs and bust, creating wet patches.

“One of the gyms I worked at as a fitness instructor was housed in a converted warehouse, so the temperatures would soar in summer! That was when I would see and hear how irritated many women felt by visible sweat patches around their bust and crotch areas. Even including those garments that claimed to be ‘sweat wicking’ didn’t work.”

It was through this work as an instructor and later following a very public incident that set Alana on a determined path to find activewear that she – and other women – could wear without worrying about large, obvious sweat marks.

“I’ll never forget the day that set this idea in my mind. I’d just finished a high intensity exercise class and thought I’d pop into the grocery store on my way home. As I was leaving, with my hands full of shopping bags, I dropped a bag of apples in front of patrons at a café. I actually heard a gasp and saw people look at my groin as I bent down to pick them up, and noticed that it really looked like I had wet my pants. There was a huge sweat stain between my legs! I’d really worked out and didn’t even realise it was so obvious. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough!"

From that day Alana set about looking for activewear to buy that actually focused directly on minimising visible sweat patches through a different style of design. She could visualise exactly what it was that she wanted to buy but found that such products simply did not exist. And that was the turning point, Alana knew that if this product did not exist it needed to and she set out on her mission to create high quality sweat solution activewear. The concept of Idea Athletic was born.

Meet the founder - Alana, Idea Athletic | Australian Activewear Brand | Sweat Resistant Activewear

Get to know Alana

More on Idea Athletic's Founder

What’s your mission?

I want to disrupt the activewear landscape. We have so many options today when it comes to movement and exercise, which I love. But, it is time that we expected and received more from our activewear. It needs to keep up with our lifestyles.

Your favourite way to exercise?

I really love reformer pilates, weights and spin classes. And of course power walking and talking with girlfriends qualifies as a professional sport to me!

Describe your ideal weekend?

My ideal weekend would absolutely always start with a Saturday morning sleep in before going for a long walk and talk with a girlfriend. Saturday afternoon I love to hang out with my daughters and in the evening catching up with friends over a great dinner and drinks is always so fun.  Sundays are a day of rest and family time with maybe a sneaky morning pilates session thrown in there as well.