Queensland Business Monthly: Lorna Jane Clarkson is setting the pace

BUSINESS mogul Lorna Jane Clarkson says she was left “emotionally drained” by public criticism over a controversial job ad and a lawsuit that claimed her company promoted a bully culture.

Lorna Jane Clarkson. Picture: Ric Frearson

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EVIDENCE of the activewear phenomenon is everywhere you look. Be it on the school run, in the line for morning coffee, over a business lunch, or even drinks – it has never been cooler to look like you’re working out.

Competitors have popped up like beads of sweat in a spin class as multimillion-dollar juggernauts enter the fray, but Lorna Jane Clarkson, the woman who arguably started it all, continues to hold her reign at the top.

Even at 8am on a Monday morning, Clarkson bounces into the interview as though she’s just run a mile a minute on the treadmill.

She launches into her story with the enthusiasm she’s is known for in her books, blogs, social media posts and event appearances. With her name splashed across 200 Lorna Jane stores, a business estimated to be worth $500 million, and a brand with millions of social media followers, it’s little surprise Clarkson is so optimistic.

“I still feel like there’s so much to do, and now I’m getting older, I’m worried about running out of time,” she says.

“If you never stop and say ‘I’ve made it’, you never lose that drive,” she says.

Where other fashion trends have come and gone, this one seems to be gaining momentum. A viral parody video watched by more than 4.5 million people poking fun at the ubiquity of “activewear” speaks to its influence and longevity. Clarkson even claims to be the first to coin the term “activewear”.

“The word activewear wasn’t even in people’s vocabularies, and I thought if I could get a different name out there, they might wear it beyond their workouts.”

Lorna Jane Clarkson.

Clarkson is a pioneer in the market, forcing sportswear stalwarts such as Nike and adidas and high-fashion designers to rethink their business models. Athletic apparel is growing twice as fast as the wider fashion industry, according to IBISWorld, whose analysts estimate that one item of Lorna Jane clothing is sold every 19 seconds in Australia.

It’s a staggering number, but it also serves as a testament to the cult-like following the Queensland mogul has created after starting the business as a hobby while working as a dental therapist and aerobics instructor in Cairns in 1989.

“I had no formal training. I just made patterns out of newspaper and sewed on my Janome,” she laughs.

“Then women in my classes started asking me to make similar pieces, and overnight it turned into a full-time job.”

Moving back to Brisbane, she and her husband, Bill Clarkson, decided to gamble it all to open their first store – on the first floor of Broadway on the Mall – in 1990.

Surrounded by pigeons and rickety foundations, it’s a stark contrast to her new digs on the street front more than 25
years later.

“It’s so funny to go back now and see our store right on Queen St,” she says.

“I remember we worked out we’d have to make $450 a week to break even because we didn’t pay ourselves. We made it in our first day and started thinking, ‘yahoo!’,” she says.

Momentum started to pick up, and one day a woman came in and bought every piece in the store.

“I remember Bill came home on his pushbike, because we only had one car back then, and popped his head into the design studio we’d made under our house in Paddington. He just opened up this bag and there was all this cash in there.

“It was moments like that that we knew, OK, we’re not crazy – this could really be something big.”

Lorna Jane Clarkson. Picture: Tara Croser.

The couple sold their house and bought a building in Fortitude Valley – a decision that paid off when its value jumped to $4 million. The business has continued to grow at a similar pace and now has 200 stores and distributors in 60 countries around the world.

A sale of the business was put on ice two years ago, with some speculating a potential deal of about $500 million was on the table.

But much of the brand’s success comes down to Clarkson herself. The brand well and truly embodies everything she’s about, and with mantras and manifestos such as “Move, Nourish, Believe” and “Active Living”, it’s Clarkson who has cultivated a fanatical following of Lycra lovers, wearing her outfits from spin class to the grocery store.

She doesn’t just sell leggings – she sells a lifestyle.

“I am obsessed with health and fitness. It’s my way of life, and it’s very authentic ... everything we design is tested in gyms and studios and is designed for active women by active women.”

Last year that authenticity came into question in what was arguably one of the toughest times of Clarkson’s life.

Appearing on 60 Minutes,she struggled to hold back tears after facing public criticism for posting a job advertisement for a fitness model/receptionist in which she asked for applicants’ body measurements to fulfil the modelling role.

It coincided with a lawsuit from a former staff member who claimed she was bullied by another employee while working in a Lorna Jane store.

Reflecting now on the tough roller-coaster ride, Clarkson says “it was a blessing in disguise” and made her “stronger”.

“Going through that was awful ... feeling so misunderstood on a public level when it’s so far away from who you are – it was emotionally draining.

“I was really fragile and the public saw the worst of it, but what I’ve learned is that it’s good to be human and let people see that side of you. I definitely got stronger. I’m not unhappy that it happened – that’s how you grow and learn.”

A still from Lorna Jane Clarkson’s appearance on 60 Minutes in 2015. Picture: Channel 9

Her dedication to her career is evident in all parts of her life, and husband Bill has been by her side at every turn, urging on her success. He holds the reins of chief executive officer.

“We do this not for financial gain, because we could quit tomorrow and be on the couch for the rest of our lives. We do it to create change,” she says.

Choosing to dedicate herself to her career, Clarkson says she made the decision not to have children to pursue success.

“There were times when I thought maybe I’m missing out if I don’t do this, but I never had that overwhelming passionate urge to have children,” she says.

“I don’t think you should do things you’re not passionate about, and I never felt that passion about having children.”

What she is passionate about is finding new and exciting ways to spread her “Active Living” philosophy. She has launched a fitness app, several books and she visits high schools as part of a new program to speak about healthy living.

Bill and Lorna Jane Clarkson have built an activewear empire.

The fitness fashion market is now highly competitive, challenging Lorna Jane for market share. But Clarkson says she’s not threatened by the competition.

“Not at all. I get so happy seeing people in their activewear. It never used to be like that – we’re meeting the market.”

Her stores are also a testament to the changing retail landscape. The brand is rolling out more of its Active Living Room concept stores, with in-store juice bars, retail space and a room for regular pilates and yoga classes. It has proved successful, with customers spending 600 per cent more time in the concept stores than those with traditional formats.

Now they’re focused on taking the format global and have their eyes set on expanding further into the US, where they are stocked in all 115 Nordstrom stores. Asia is next on the list, and after that?

“I want to take active living all over the world. It sounds crazy, but I think you have to be a bit crazy in this game.”

Lorna Jane Clarkson is just one of 30 Queenslanders who’ve made it on to Queensland Business Monthly’s The Influencers list - our pick of the state’s most powerful business leaders. Make sure you pick up your copy of the magazine in The Courier-Mail on Friday, August 26.