Yahoo Lifestyle Kate Hudson On Happiness And Health
Kate Hudson. Source: Supplied
Marie Claire: You recently co-founded the fitness wear range Fabletics. Why start a business now?
Kate Hudson: One thing my mother really ingrained in me is that what you do should give back in some way. When I’ve considered projects outside of acting, I always ask myself: what’s the bigger message behind it? What’s most exciting about Fabletics is that we are creating a community of women who are supporting and inspiring each other to get fit and be more active.
MC: How long was it in the pipeline for?
KH: We were working on [it] for more than 18 months before it launched. We worked really hard on making sure the quality of our garments stood up but was still at an affordable price point.
MC: How hands-on are with the business?
KH: We launch new collections [online] each month, and I work with our design team on ideas and they execute them. We also want to take every body type into consideration – women who are more athletic and want more form-fitting things to post-pregnancy mums or women who are in the process of losing weight and want to cover different areas. It’s been a great learning process – I’ve learned a lot about product technology.
MC: We recently dedicated our February issue to fashion-meets-fitness. What do you make of this trend, where fitness and health has become more stylish and fashionable?
KH: We’ve [also] been thinking about how the active lifestyle is changing; we’re bringing more fashion into the line because women aren’t wearing workout wear just for exercising anymore – they’re incorporating activewear into their everyday looks.
MC: What did you mum teach you about health and fitness?
KH: My mum is a dancer and has been her whole life. She was a ballerina and a showgirl, and she danced constantly. She started me off with ballet, five days a week, from age 3 to 13. I learned discipline from that – when you’re dancing, you have to work incredibly hard, and it can be gruelling. It was hard because I was so free-spirited, but it helped me focus. Now, it’s something I love to do, and something I always come back to.
MC: What other types of exercise do you enjoy?
KH: I get bored very easily, so I like to mix things up. Pilates has always been my go-to, but I’ve been into boxing lately, which has been really fun. I love to work out with my girlfriends, so we’ll go spinning or do yoga together. When I’m training hard, there are areas I focus on such as my abs or glutes.
MC: Your business model for Fabletics is about creating a community. [Fabletics.com offers inspirational stories and guidance from other women who love working out.] Why should women actively support other women?
KH: From an early age, my mother also taught me to honour my female relationships. You have a choice: you can support the woman standing next to you, or you can compete with her. I’m always going to choose the former – competing against someone is always going to make you miserable. I have a strong group of close girlfriends, and they’re the most motivating to me when I need to get inspired or to push through tough moments.
MC: How do you balance acting – and now business – with motherhood?
KH: Finding balance is a daily assessment. I just do the best I can.
MC: For you, what makes a strong, healthy woman in 2015?
KH: I love women who own their femininity and at the same time are such powerhouses – I find it so motivating!
MC: What are some things you do for fun?
KH: I’m really into interior design, so I’m on the Houzz app swiping through so many photos that I’ll get finger pain! I love to read – I always like to read one self-help or non-fiction book and one fiction book at the same time. My friends and I also do game night – we play running charades. And I love being outdoors.
MC: You always look like you’re having a blast. What is your formula for happiness?
KH: Staying true to myself and others. I believe that true happiness is allowing yourself to experience all of life’s emotions. Happiness comes from understanding and recognising where fear, old hurts and pain come from, and instead of ignoring it and distracting yourself from it, going right into the center of it and dealing with it because liberation and freedom are on the other side.
Fabletics is now shipping to Australia. Browse the range here
This interview originally appeared in our May issue, on sale April 2
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