The first Sweaty Betty shop opened in London’s Notting Hill back in 1998. Nestled between a pawnbroker and a 7-11, it wasn’t quite the start co-founder Tamara Hill-Norton had envisaged but, happily, frenzied success soon followed and Sweaty Betty now boasts twenty-three boutiques, two concessions and a host of celebrity fans including Elle MacPherson, Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham. We catch up with Tamara…

How did Sweaty Betty first come into being?
I was brought up in a pretty sporty family and sport was something I was always interested in. Sportswear retail has always been disappointing, particularly for women and trying to buy a sports bra in JD sports, for instance, is not something you would look forward to doing. I did a lot of market research and discovered that there are some great brands out there, but they weren’t being sold in a female friendly environment. My idea was to gather the best brands and put them into a fashion-inspired boutique environment where women would feel comfortable.

What’s the best thing about Sweaty Betty?
That we’ve turned something as utilitarian as sportswear into a desirable fashionable concept (the technical side is taken as a given).

What’s your favourite piece from Sweaty Betty’s spring/summer 2010 collection?
The statement run jacket.

How much influence do you have on Sweaty Betty designs?
I set the creative direction at the beginning with the designers and then work through each individual design with them from concept to production. So a lot!

It’s great that you work with gym and yoga instructors to ‘test drive’ your clothes prior to launching them. How does that work and do you do that with all your clothes?
We have an “ambassador” day at the beginning of each season where we give our testers any new technical products that we’ve developed.

What does the future hold for Sweaty Betty?
Our mission is to be recognised as the best women’s active wear brand in the world by 2012.

Do you have any secrets for us?
Be passionate, focused and full of energy. Don’t let the knocks get you down. Be sure to have a strong brand with great product, but also make sure the back end (finance and infrastructure) is watertight too!