Pauline Hansen, Part I

Pauline Hansen

Founder, Pama London

Location: London, UK

While studying to become a yoga instructor, Pauline Hansen discovered a gap in the market for sustainable yoga wear. Taking inspiration from yoga, where mindfulness is the central focus, she developed Pama London.

Pama London brings together Pauline's love for fashion and her dedication to the mindful yoga lifestyle. The brand focuses on fit to form designs that are both timeless and fashionable, made with eco-friendly fabrics. Pauline spent years looking for the most sustainable and ethical factories to produce her designs. She fully believes that what we eat, as well as what we put on our skin, are among the essential factors for our health and well-being.

The journey to create a brand, especially a sustainable one, is long and arduous. Pauline's mission with Pama London, seeing her designs come to life and seeing people wearing them, keep her going. While she's always busy creating collections and managing her brand, her family and her yoga lifestyle keep her centred and mindful.

The Brand

The low down - about your brand, in your own words

Pama London is a sustainable, eco-conscious, fashion forward, high performance activewear brand made fit to form. I created this brand to produce a timeless eco-friendly and fashionable active / yoga lifestyle brand. Everything is fit to form to give women as much support as needed, and to make them feel great inside and out of the studio. It's created from the yoga lifestyle where everything is about mindfulness. Not only what we eat but also the fabrics we put on our skin are essential to our well-being, as well as our planet's well-being. It's about loving our planet and being conscious of how we do things.

How would you say your brand reflects you?

I love fashion and at least when it comes to yoga, which is about a mindful lifestyle, I wanted to create something that is fashion forward but made in an ethical and conscious way.

What motivated you to launch it and more than that, to make it sustainable?

I was motivated to launch Pama London because there was no option for sustainable active wear and I am really fascinated by the organic and sustainable fabrics. It is a true challenge to be sustainable, while also being fashionable and competitive so more people can enjoy it.

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It's About the Journey

The early days, how your career started

Whilst doing my yoga teacher training I saw the gap in the market. Our first collection is the Chakra collection because when I started training, I learned a lot about the Chakra energies and how the colours help you when you wear them.

Comedy of errors - one day, I'll look back and laugh at this (which I can now)

Starting off, my first production in LA. I think production is the hardest to accomplish for many startup brands. It took me years to find the most sustainable and ethical factories and I mean, LOTS of constant emails and communications were involved throughout the journey.

Blindside - what you didn't know and wish you had going into it

It's good to just do it, have your own vision and believe in it! It's also important to have a good team because best outcomes come from teamwork. I also learned about the importance of being able to constantly motivate yourself. It is a long battle and I just have to keep going because I believe in this.

What keeps you busy, what's currently on your plate?

I am always busy with my brand, creating collections, managing etc.

...But Make It Fashion

Your first fashion memory and forever favourite fashion item/s

I think everyone has their own unique fashion memories, depending on your age and where you live. I would say my first fashion memory was when I was young and I was obsessed with shoes. I remember always wanting to wear high heels, which my mom never allowed me to. Now I'm living in my trainers and comfortable wear that supports my yogini lifestyle.

What do you like and dislike most about fashion?

I love that fashion is constantly evolving. However, this can be a pain as a designer because "trends" always change too fast, which then draws people to fast fashion. That's why at Pama London, we always try to design timeless styles for more sustainable products.

Who inspires you in life and in fashion?

My dad inspires me in life because he is self-made and hardworking. He always feeds me with bright energy. He still does transatlantic sailing races, works out, does yoga, and has a six pack at the age of 70. My mother also inspires me because I have four sisters and a brother so she has 6 kids to take care of, which impresses me everyday. She is such a strong and beautiful woman inside and out!

Fashion is very unique and personal so I believe that everyone creates their own fashion. It's like your personality! Reformation, their way of being conscious in fashion inspires me. They were one of the first companies to really incorporate up/down cycling of old fabrics into modern fashion. Also, seeing new fabrics inspires me to brainstorm on new products.

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Let's Get a Bit Personal

Full speed ahead - what keeps you going, what's next?

My family keeps me going and my yoga lifestyle reminds me to be more mindful and earth conscious. They both also help me in facing challenges.

The milestones, the moments that make it all worth it

It's always challenging to produce sustainable products. But it's all worth it when the product is finished and I see people wearing it.

Words to live by

"Too blessed to be stressed." I am so lucky living in this part of the world. I simply think that the more you stress over something, the more it goes wrong. I always believe in being grateful for your life and in thinking positive! #goodvibes only to manifest your dreams!

The Dream

To see everyone wearing sustainable and eco-conscious activewear, especially in practicing yoga. For me, it's hard to see people practicing yoga in a material that could be toxic and made in an unethical way. I guess my bigger dream is making sustainable products more accessible for people.

At the end of the day...

It is about getting there but taking small steps, one at a time. Our current system is not built to be sustainable so it requires a lot of support from individuals and communities to make a difference in our society. Every little step counts, including going on a plant-based diet and helping clean up our planet.

Continue reading Part II of Pauline's interview here.

All media courtesy of Pauline Hansen and Pama London.

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Pauline Hansen, Part I

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