1 November 2019

Faces of Canberra: Daniella Jukic - We Are Found Active

| Wendy Johnson
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Deejay Jukic

Canberra creative Deejay Jukic sourcing inspiration for her label ‘We Are Found Active’ in New York. Photos: Deejay Jukic.

Inspired by fashion and designed for training. That’s the thinking behind Australian label We Are Found Active.

The brainchild of creative Canberran Deejay Jukic, who is currently exploring the Big Apple to grow her business, We Are Found Active is about looking great while working out to feel great.

Deejay opened the label in 2016, inspired by how physical exercise can be a great motivator.

After some major life hurdles, Deejay found herself in a slump, struggling with anxiety and depression. She headed to the gym, working with a personal trainer to find motivation with life and embrace a bright future. She found the workout sessions, while hard, inspiring and soon saw her mood and outlook improve.

It translated into a life change, with Deejay now committed to regular exercise, convinced the health benefits are worth every step.

But when shopping for gym gear, Deejay couldn’t find activewear she liked so she took the plunge and began designing her own. With a background in women’s fashion, styling and retail, as well as her skills as a photographer and her public relations expertise, opening a label with a fresh approach was a perfect fit.

We Are Found Active clothing

We Are Found Active is about looking great while working out to feel great.

We Are Found Active is much more than “another gym brand”. The colours, patterns and designs Deejay creates are unique. They stand out in the crowd.

“The label is about women finding themselves and expressing how they feel on the inside,” says Deejay. “The designs are influenced by images from my own photography, pop culture and other sources of inspiration.”

The range includes leggings, tights, shorts, crop tops and jumpers – solid colours and fabulous patterns, including a pretty floral bloom print, a bold camouflage print and the intriguing Kokomo, inspired by Brooklyn.

Some tights have a scrunch feature on the back “booty” seam to enhance curves.

Deejay has also played with accent fabrics, such as strips of mesh, to add an eye-catching design feature. A special dye process ensures the tights retain their colouring.

Deejay Jukic

Deejay Jukic designs activewear for fit and durability.

“I design for fit and durability, which is why my tights are all comfortable, versatile and, importantly, high-waisted,” says Deejay, who is proud of her own shape and knows what it takes to be happy with that perfect fit.

“I want women to be able to move without being uncomfortable so we have ‘squat proofed’ all tights. Who wants to spend their workout hiking up tights and fussing with their gym clothes? Not me!”

We Are Found Active’s range is also perfect for those into yoga, pilates and kickboxing.

Yoga

We Are Found Active’s range is also perfect for those who love yoga, pilates and kickboxing.

Deejay is finding plenty of inspiration for future designs while hanging out and exploring in New York.

“The city is so vibrant and anything goes here in terms of fashion. People are more fearless here. My experience is going to lead to some amazing new designs and pieces,” says the designer.

We Are Found Active currently sells online direct to market (www.wearefoundactive.com) and through a few online stockists like Mecca Movement and Be Activewear.

“My ultimate dream is to expand the number of boutiques across Australia and New York,” says Deejay. “I love the idea of representing a genuine Aussie brand in the hugely competitive US market.”

Deejay has also introduced the idea of blurring the lines between fashion and sportswear with new items like bombers and big, boxy jumpers, some with embroidery, that can be worn as comfortably outside the gym as inside the gym.

We Are Found Active sizes start at X-small (6 to 8) and head up to X-large (12 to 14)

Aussie activewear

The We Are Found Active range includes leggings, tights, shorts, crop tops and jumpers. Perfect for stretching.

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