By Katie Lucas, Co-Founder
Ohm K was born at the front desk of Williamsburg, Brooklyn boutique fitness studio SYNCStudio. I’d known my now business partner, Katharine, for a few weeks, and we were joking around in between teaching our cycling and yoga classes. I was playfully spouting off some “ideas” for yoga tank tops, and Katharine said: ”We should make those.” Well... we did! A year and a half later, we are the founders of the scrappiest women’s wellness apparel brand in Brooklyn.
Katharine and I were acquaintances when we first started developing the idea of Ohm K, and through the course of our dreaming and joking, we found we had a lot in common. We’d both trained to be actors, neither of us had a degree in business, and neither of us had experience in fashion. No big deal. Two hustling Brooklyn girls with acting degrees, four survival jobs, and a passion for cheeky yoga tanks: that’s just about all you need to start a business. That, and a whole lot of gumption.
In those first few months, we navigated, what was for us, completely uncharted territory. But in the midst of those learning curves and roadblocks, we developed a talent for grabbing hands and jumping hurdles together. Each time our path became blocked, we got better at communicating, our vision for Ohm K became clearer, and we became savvier about our business. Lucky for these two acquaintances, we also became dear friends.
Our name, Ohm K, is like many of our tanks — it’s a pun. A pun on the word OK, using the universal and sacred sound ॐ. Ohm K means being "ok right now." It means finding happiness and fulfillment in the present moment, instead of basing your happiness on some future ideal. People are obsessed with thinking, "I'll be happy when..." Happy when they lose 5lbs, happy when they get a promotion, take a vacation. We want to empower women to love their bodies right now, today, just as they are — and to find what they love about their life in the present moment.
We are incredibly passionate about empowering women. First and foremost, Ohm K is a brand for women. Our original vision was and is to empower women to seek their wellness by creating clothing that makes them feel GOOD.
We want women to feel physically good in our clothing, so we choose soft material and flattering cuts. In our promotional images, we never use Photoshop, and never will, because real women are stunning!
We want women to feel good about where their clothing is coming from and how it impacts the earth, so we source goods made in factories with strong ethical and sustainability clauses. We just released our first line of eco pants and crop tops made with recycled fabric, and sewn in the Bronx. Each Ohm K tank is screen-printed right here in Brooklyn. We work with local factories and print shops because we want to bolster the local economy and support these artisans.
We want women to feel good about who they are supporting by purchasing Ohm K, so we work with local artists, designers, illustrators, etc to bring our ideas to life. Brooklyn is home to so many creatives, we love being able to showcase their work in our line.
We want women to feel good about how their purchases give back to the community. Many of our tanks support charitable organizations that are near and dear to our hearts. From the very beginning, giving back has been one of the main tenets of our business. We support Exhale to Inhale, the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, Edible Schoolyard NYC, and Migrant Offshore Aid Station.
We are so inspired by our homebase in Brooklyn. This city is bursting with inspiration, creativity, delicious food, wild art, endless change, and some of the fiercest women we’ve ever encountered. We are surrounded by hustlers: hustlers working harder than hard to live their dreams. These dreamers are the heartbeat of the city. We want to represent them, to give them a voice in the yoga world. Let’s face it, the yoga fashion world is dominated by California-based apparel companies with all kinds of good Cali vibes. We want to represent the East Coast, NYC, snarky, sassy yogi. The yogi that throws on her blazer over her tank to take her look from the studio to the street so she won’t miss her power lunch.
As we grow, we are working tirelessly to make Ohm K as green as possible and to constantly lower our carbon footprint. Any tags, invoices, or notecards that you find in your package are printed on recycled paper. The package that your Ohm K arrives in is a recycled poly mailer and is recyclable. Our Eco-Elephant tops and bottoms are created from a fabric made from 88% recycled plastic bottles and 12% spandex. As we grow our brand, we are committed to bettering our company for the good of the Earth.
Our first year and a half has been such an incredible experience. In the years to come, you’ll see Ohm K leading the charge empowering women to love themselves and their bodies right now. You’ll see us encouraging women to seek their wellness instead of a number on the scale. Ohm K will continue to give back to the community, expose the work of amazing artists, and bring as much production as possible to the NYC area. We’ve been so fortunate to connect with women from all over the world. Their spirit and support inspires us to work harder than ever to create a brand that lifts them up and celebrates them! Today, right now, just as you are, YOU are Ohm K.
Sooohm much love,
Katie+Katharine
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Katie Lucas is a SYNCCYCLING and Circuit Training instructor, and Co-Founder of the Brooklyn based women's wellness apparel company Ohm K. She loves motivating students on and off the bike, avocados, practicing yoga, and giant cups of coffee. Her dream is to encourage women of all ages to love themselves and recognize their worth!
Katharine Lucić is a 500 Hour RYT yoga teacher in New York City, an actress, published writer, and Co-Founder of the Brooklyn based women’s wellness apparel company Ohm K. She loves traveling with her husband, popcorn, and all forms of girl power.
Find Ohm K at Twitter @LiveOhmK, Instagram @LiveOhmK, and www.liveohmk.com
