Halara UK

Halara is a direct-to-consumer women's athleisure brand founded by Joyce Zhang (Zhang Xiaopei) in 2020. The company is headquartered in Hong Kong under parent company Doublefs, a tech-enabled consumer brands group. Zhang isn't a typical fashion CEO - she's a tech powerhouse who led engineering teams at Microsoft, Yixin, and Guazi before entering activewear. She noticed the rising demand for clothing suitable for both athletic and leisure activities during the pandemic, creating an opportunity for a new approach. At the heart of Halara's identity is a simple philosophy: "Take it easy." Derived from the Greek word "Halara," this mantra embodies the brand's mission to provide women with activewear that seamlessly transitions from workouts to daily life. The main products include leggings, women's underwear, exercise dresses, and their famous skorts. Halara uses machine learning and algorithms to analyse Google searches, Reddit discussions, customer surveys, and other online data about fashion trends to develop new products. This tech-driven approach helps them stay ahead of trends and respond quickly to customer preferences. The brand markets heavily through social media, particularly TikTok, where a workout skort reached 1 billion views in 2022. Backed by Chinese investment firms including 5Y Capital, Capital Today, IDG, Hike Capital, and Sequoia, Halara has grown rapidly since launch, opening their first pop-up store in New York City in May 2024.