Today we’d like to introduce you to Emeline Kuhner-Stout.
Emeline, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My trajectory isn’t exactly linear, but whose is? I was born and raised in a small French town near Geneva in the Swiss Alps. Being so close to a United Nations hub, I grew up surrounded by international influence and diplomats working to make the world a better place. This became a dream of mine: travel the world, discover various cultures and befriend people from all walks of life to foster peace.
So, I attended law school, as I prepared to become an agent for the UN. After studying briefly in the United States, meeting my future husband, fulfilling my childhood dream to work for the UN, a wedding, a few cross-Atlantic moves, and two babies, we’ve settled in Houston, working to grow Élastique Athletics.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would say it’s been an adventure filled with surprises. These roads are never usually “smooth”. Having your life split by 5,000 miles isn’t always easy. But it’s also why I decided to launch Élastique as a luxury active apparel line where we source the materials and savoir-faire (talent) from France. We work with suppliers and manufacturing partners who have been passing down their craft from generation to generation. And then, we proudly finish our garments right here in Texas. It allows me to spend time with my children and family in France during the summer while I source materials, meet with designers, build content and we can put all of this work at Summer’s end. It also means a high-quality product made with a lot of amour.
And then of course, being an entrepreneur, a wife, a mother and a friend—all at the same time—is a challenge. I barely feel like I can get everything that needs to be done by the end of the day. I quickly learned that this lifestyle will entail lots of sacrifices, but it’s all for the greater good. We’re building amazing solutions that women are in love with and my daughters are learning about resilience, patience, passion and determination. I often take them with me to trade shows, our pop-ups and they love it. They are my best sales help and you should hear the jingles they come up with in the back of the car…
Élastique Athletics – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Having my two daughters ultimately led me to create Élastique, where activewear meets skincare. It started from a personal need to find a wellness solution after giving birth and not feeling like myself physically – and needing something that fits seamlessly into my busy, less mobile lifestyle as a new mom in the States.
It occurred to me that nothing I was finding addressed the issue of, as we French call it, orange peel skin holistically – from the root. We discovered that the solution lies within and not on the surface of the skin. The better your lymphatic system flows, the better you feel and the better your skin looks. This where our patent-pending MicroPerle Technology was born. Micro-massage beads are strategically placed in compression leggings to simulate a lymphatic drainage massage while you move. It’s the best thing – leggings that massage your skin while you move. It doesn’t get more luxurious! And after four years of researching and trialing, my husband, small team, and I developed, l’Original, our first legging.
It wasn’t until this experience that I thought about the years I spent watching my grandmother fit people for compression garments. Being French, I was immersed in beauty and wellness secrets. My mother made my first appointment with an esthetician at 12. I remember summers where my mom and grandmother would chat for hours about the newest issue of “Femme Actuelle,” filled with the latest slimming cream, anti-cellulite gel, devices…
And as a new mom, you don’t always have the resources to visit a spa frequently, go to the gym, buy all the creams… I wanted a solution that married wellness, beauty and fitness.
It’s been a journey, but gathering this group of outstanding human beings to help grow a little idea to an amazing solution that women are now raving about…there’s no better feeling. Our focus is on the woman we are helping and only her. We want her to shine, that’s our mission.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Having a vision and sticking to it, no matter how you arrive there. We’ve gone in multiple directions, tried various avenues, and not everything worked out. But it always led us to the next step that eventually moved us forward.
Resilience is key. You have to be comfortable with adversity as an entrepreneur. But if you believe in your potential, it will turn out beautifully.
Finally, surround yourself with the right people. It takes time, but once you find the right team, it makes all the difference.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2005 W Gray St
Houston, TX 77019 - Website: www.elastiqueathletics.com
- Email: bonjour@elastiqueathletics.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/elastiqueathletics
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ElastiqueAthletics
Image Credit:
Anastasie Viala
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