Yoga enthusiast goes retail

By Paula Rath
Advertiser Fashion Writer

Maria Noble, wearing an outfit by Lululemon of Canada, strikes a yoga position. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser Off the Mat 1127 12th Ave., Kaimuki 735-5450

Beaton sprinted into retail with characteristic enthusiasm — and abandon. She had no retail experience. That's also how she started as a triathlete — with no experience, just a strong will to succeed. Succeed she did, having completed 10 triathlons, including the Ironman, in three years.

Beaton got involved with yoga five years ago as an antidote to the aches and pains she experienced as a result of running, biking and swimming to the extreme. Soon the yoga became more important than the aerobics, and she wanted to be "involved in the world of yoga and to share yoga with others." Hence, Off the Mat.

Since she knew nothing about the clothing markets in Los Angeles, Dallas and New York, where most retailers buy their lines, she traveled to Berkeley, Calif., a center for yoga in the United States, where she looked around and asked questions. She also read yoga magazines and checked online sources. Her intent was to avoid mainstream lines and bring in clothing and accessories previously unavailable in Hawai'i.

While Beaton has studied Kripalu and Ashtanga yoga, she investigated other types of yoga and their different needs. For example, gentle yoga such as Kripalu calls for comfortable, baggy clothing and doesn't generate a lot of sweat, while Ashtanga is more physical, requiring body-conscious and perspiration-wicking clothing. Bikram yoga, practiced in a highly heated room, requires the least amount of clothing possible, while for Iyengar, it's helpful to leave the joints visible so the instructor can check out alignment.

Beaton decided on several lines she plans to carry on a regular basis and some she will rotate for variety. The regulars include Lululemon from Canada, Mari Dade from Brazil, Jade Sports from Colorado and Carushka from New York.

She buys according to textiles as well as style. While organic cottons, such as those found in the Om Girl line, are fine for gentle yoga, they are not as comfortable for power yoga, as the 90 percent cotton content can get really heavy when wet. Natural High Lifestyle, a hemp and cotton blend, is more appropriate for meditation than for yoga postures.

While much of Off the Mat caters to women, there are several racks of men's clothing, including shirts from local designer Lauri Chee, whose line is called Lily Lotus. A favorite shirt of Chee's says "Got yoga?" on the back — written upside down. Get it?

Yoga clothes, of course, can be worn for other workouts or simply for kicking back on a day off. Hey, in Hollywood they're cool for everything from shopping on Melrose Place to traveling in private jets.