From running marathons to running her own fashion business, De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) graduate, Sophie Kempner is no stranger to a challenge.
Sophie graduated from DMU in 2011 with a BA in Fashion Design and immediately moved to New York to begin a three-month internship with a high-end couture designer. She was then offered a full-time job with the company and decided to stay in the city for the next six years.
Sophie said: “I loved my time at DMU, it was amazing to be able to use my degree to go abroad and work in a centre of fashion like New York.
“I felt that after six years in the city, it was time to move on and I’d made some amazing contacts in the industry. Through this network I was able to secure a job with an exclusive embroidery designer, Marine Serie, in Paris.
“I gained valuable experience working with tissue for fabric and textile design over my time at Marine Serre, but I had always dreamed of establishing my own brand. In April last year I decided to go for it and set up my own business with the help of my boyfriend. By December I was able to resign from my job and focus on the brand full time, after relocating to Rennes in Brittany.”
Sophie has been a committed runner for almost ten years and has completed six marathons to date. This passion for the sport inspired the theme of her new brand ‘Maratona’, which is focused on providing affordable, comfortable kit for women who might otherwise not engage with running.
She said: “Despite my achievements, I still don’t consider myself a ‘serious’ runner who is dedicated to a really strict lifestyle. I find the exercise meditative and it helps me to destress, I was keen to encourage older women to engage with those benefits by taking some of the fear factor out of getting into running.
“My aim is to have the brand tied into running clubs and drive an agenda of encouraging participation as we grow. I think it is important for businesses to social responsibility and sustainability agendas in the world today. Those considerations are why I try to ensure all our products make use of recyclable or sustainable materials. For example, we have created a new water bottle which avoids using BPA or other potentially harmful chemicals.
“I’m working on some really exciting new products for the year ahead and it is my hope that as the brand develops, we’ll be able to source and manufacture all of our products locally to further reduce environmental impact.”
Posted on Monday 8 February 2021