Long gone are the days of wearing baggy clothes and old high school sweatshirts to the gym, thanks to stylish activewear companies like Beyond Yoga! The brainchild of Jodi Guber, Beyond Yoga was founded on the belief that every woman should celebrate her body with clothing that makes her feel confident — even when working out! (Huge bonus: Beyond Yoga products are made in the USA with luxurious, durable fabrics.) We spoke with Jodi to learn more about this inspiring brand, her fans and her goals for continuing to make women feel their very best!
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Describe how Beyond Yoga got started.
I was at a stage in my life where working for myself was a priority. I was determined to find something that I loved so that I could start my own business and be my own boss. I thought about things that I was both passionate about and good at. I love yoga, exercise, fashion and helping people.My hope was to design a truly inclusive line (considering all shapes and sizes) that, at its core, encourages self-esteem in all women and girls and helps them feel good about the bodies that they are in NOW. So I took my personal struggle with my own weight and self-esteem, along with how I had learned to flatter my body during the most challenging times, and created Beyond Yoga.
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What was your main goal with Beyond Yoga?
My main goal was to create both a retail source and a platform that would reach all women and girls to provide messages of inspiration and give reminders of self-esteem throughout their shopping experience. I wanted to empower women of all shapes and sizes through thoughtful designs and a strong commitment to no body-shrinking of our models. The hope is to allow women to better relate to our brand and, in turn, to not have such unrealistic expectations for themselves. I believe in nurturing self-esteem and celebrating the uniqueness of every woman’s body, just as they are.My mission and the mission of this brand have always been to cultivate, empower and enrich the lives of others far beyond the bottom line. The idea of “living beyond” lives in everything that we represent.
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What makes Beyond Yoga different from other yoga clothing lines?
Having clothes that work for all body types is our number one priority. Rather than just one model (which is the industry norm), we hold fittings with women from sizes XXS to XXL.We spend a lot of time ensuring that our product will flatter many women’s bodies, and making sure that we have various fabrics and silhouettes that work on all different body types.
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What has your been the most exciting moment for the line so far?
There have been many exciting moments. When we had our first $1M month — that was a BIG milestone. When Cindy Crawford chose Beyond Yoga as the line to gift to her editors with her skin care line, Meaningful Beauty. And it never gets old when people find out that BY is my company and respond with, “OMG — you’re Beyond Yoga??? I had no idea. I’ve been wearing it forever — it’s my favorite — it’s the best.” This happens more and more often, and it is always incredibly exciting and rewarding. -
Do you have a favorite product from the line?
The BEYOND YOGA QUILTED LEGGING. If I could only buy one pair of leggings, it would be this one. They’re in style all year-round. Perfect in the summer with sandals or sneakers and in the winter with knee-high boots. They dress up or down and are my absolute FAVE!!! -
What are your goals or plans for the future of Beyond Yoga?
My goal is for women to associate Beyond Yoga with feeling good about themselves. I want to be a part of changing the conversation around beauty and body image so that women can feel beautiful and desirable, no matter their shape or size. Don’t get me wrong, it’s important to take care of yourself — but that can be in the body of someone who is a size 4, a size 8 or a size 14!!
