Alana Clarkson
ALANA CLARKSON LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR AND MUM, ALANA CLARKSON IS SOLVING A BIG PROBLEM FOR MANY WOMEN WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR ACTIVEWEAR.
Based at Palm Beach, Alana, a gym instructor for over 10 years, has released her own line called Idea Athletic which helps to wick away sweat, solving the problem of sweat marks in awkward places. During her time working at the gym, Alana 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. She always heard the same complaint from women about getting sweat marks in their crotch and bust regions whenever they sweat, which is especially obvious if they are wearing a lighter colour. “One of the gyms I worked at was housed in a converted warehouse, so the temperatures would soar in summer!” Alana recounts. “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.” 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, so she set out on her mission to create high quality sweat solution activewear. The concept of Idea Athletic was born.
After two years of research and development, Alana devised the solution. Idea Athletic’s designs feature their own Australian innovation patented sweat-absorbing bamboo lining throughout the bust, crotch and rear panels called invisiSweat, made from a bamboo fibre which is nature’s superhero. It is naturally absorbent and can wick away moisture four times faster than cotton. It’s also temperature self-regulating which means it keeps you feeling cool and protected. The invisiSweat lining of Idea Athletic tights and sports bras are made with a high-quality bamboo/spandex fabric at a specific thickness that allows you to move freely and acts as the warrior against sweat showing through, whilst being completely invisible on the outside. The designs aren’t just practical, they’re incredibly chic and the range includes crops, tights with pockets and intimates made from buttery soft, four-way stretch Lycra in a range of fashion-forward colours. “We knew we needed a unique design with features and fabrics that were both completely invisible from the outside, but also didn’t feel bulky to wear,” says Alana. “We dedicated more than two years to researching and testing fabric to find the best combination that would defy sweat and be comfortable. We have also included pockets too making our activewear everything a woman could ever dream of.”
See the full range of separated in the Idea Athletic collection online. ideaathletic.com.au
36 slim magazine Winter 2022
