Meet our Founder

After having kids, Claire’s body changed. Frustrated by the lack of activewear that gave her confidence to get back into the gym, Claire decided to create a conscious activewear brand that celebrated women’s bodies. Here’s our founder Claire’s story…

What inspired you to create Contur?

Having studied sports science at university and being a qualified fitness instructor – health and fitness  is my absolute passion. When I became  a mum, my body changed. My confidence dropped and I struggled to find something that supported my body at the gym. I wanted something that was supportive whilst looking good at the same  time. As the kids have grown, I’m constantly aware of how much they consume and the impact of that on the environment. So with Contur, I wanted to create a brand that would encourage us to buy less and choose well.

Now having created Contur, I go to the gym and feel like the old me again. I hope we can do the same for women, helping them to feel great in their body again.

What’s your biggest driver to keep going?

We want to create a legacy brand, our aim is to be the number 1 British made activewear brand for everybody. We’re extremely proud to be 100% British with a low carbon footprint as everything  is made here. Having started the brand with the environment at the heart, everything we do from our swing tags to materials is recycled and our big hope for Contur is to be a fully circular business.

Ultimately I do this for my children. I want this to be something to be proud of, that they can see that creating something like this is possible, if you go out there, believe in it and put yourself out there.  Anything is possible.

How do you carry on being your own cheerleader?

I think I am lucky that I have a can-do attitude. As we’ve built Contur, I’ve had to keep a lot of plates spinning and become very good at adapting to change. My resilience is often tested but I always have a back up plan and know I can walk away from something if it doesn’t feel right.  If I don’t back myself, first and foremost, nobody else will.

How do you maintain a work life balance?

I plan my diary and love a routine. I get up every morning and work out, prioritising self care time is really important to me as I know if I don’t feel good mentally and physically I won’t be up for the job.  When it comes to family and down time, I wanted my work life to fit around my children so I can be there to support them as they grow up.

I make sure I never miss a sports day!