As one of the darlings of the e-commerce and activewear industries, this entrepreneur is always looking for ways to innovate. Stevanja shares her predictions for the future of retail and what keeps her inspired. Who are some of your greatest business heroes and why? There are many people who have been great business influencers throughout my entrepreneurial journey. In particular, Natalie Massenet, founder of highend fashion online retailer Net-A-Porter. Her ambition and drive to fill a gap and
gap and reinvent the market were hugely influential to me, especially in Stylerunner’s earlier years.
Where are some of your favourite places to shop around the world and why?
Singapore and Hong Kong offer great assortments of luxury goods – the options are endless. I also love shopping in Japan, especially at the iconic markets.
Japan always feels one step ahead of mass consumer trends and is such a source of inspiration in the way of reinvention.
Clearly, activewear is not a passing trend.
Where do you think it’s heading this year?
The importance of both fashion and functionality in activewear is at an all-time high. In 2019, brands will need to differentiate themselves by offering breakthrough, high-quality product and by ‘standing for more’ as a brand.
What retail trends do you have your eye on at the moment?
Standing for more as a brand is not just relevant in sportswear, but transcends industries. I think millennials in particular want to know what brands stand for, especially when it comes to topical issues like sustainability and diversity.
What are some of the challenges that keep you up at night as a retailer?
With the retail environment and technology constantly evolving, it’s the ability to hold a valuable, strong position in the market through reinvention.
My focus is to move the needle at pace in order to meet our customers’ needs and provide her with the best experience possible.
The activewear sector is becoming quite crowded now.
How does a business continue to offer customers something unique?
Stylerunner launched in 2012, as the world’s first women’s online activewear platform. Focusing on your core proposition and doing it well is essential in this competitive environment, and for us, that means continuing to enable fashion-conscious women to look and feel their best, and curating the world’s best on-trend activewear.
We also constantly strive to push the boundaries and reinvent – breakthrough brand collaborations, top-tier exclusive offering and our strong influencer-based network, to name a few.
How has activewear changed since you entered the industry?
The availability of activewear and athleisure wear has grown rapidly in recent years. I started Stylerunner because I struggled to find on-trend activewear to wear to my daily Bikram yoga class while living in London.
A multitude of new brands come to market now every season, so brands need to have a very clear brand, tone of voice, and excel at what they promise. The evolution works well for Stylerunner as we continue to refine our brands and product curation, ensuring we offer our customer the very best in the market.