Sweaty Betty began life on the rather refined streets of London’s Notting Hill. The company was established in 1998 by Tamara Hill-Norton and her husband Simon. Since its inception, the company’s stated aim has been to ‘inspire women to find empowerment through fitness’. By 2003 the brand had expanded to five stores, with its first concessions in Selfridges and Harrods opening in 2006. In 2012 they launched an online store in the US. As of 2013 there are 32 Sweaty Betty boutiques in around the UK, with plans to launch into the USA.
Over the last 15 years Sweaty Betty has received a number of awards for business, customer service and for community involvement. They are a particularly enthusiastic, evangelical brand and their boutiques make efforts to engage with their local area. All Sweaty Betty stores offer free exercise classes all year round, but they also run an annual Get Fit 4 Free campaign. This sees them put on classes and initiatives lead by those behind some of the latest fitness trends.
As far as the products go, it’s more general fitness gear than anything that caters specifically for cycling. They have good ranges of apparel and accessories for running, gym work outs, yoga, swimming and cool down exercises. There’s expert advice on hand for sizing questions, even if you’re shopping online. The key feature is that these are stores for women, run by women, so the shopping experience is much enhanced.