Wellness Wednesday: Meet the happy couple behind yoga-surf brand Electric & Rose
Welcome to Wellness Wednesday - the Valentine's Day edition! This article is part of a series of weekly wellness stories written to help inspire healthy and happy living in our wonderful readers. Be sure to check back every Wednesday for the latest in fitness, nutrition, natural beauty and lifestyle tips to help you be your best self!
BY MOLLY WINDING
Los Angeles-based lifestyle brand Electric & Rose is a little different than most athleisure lines. Born out of fashion designer Erin Chiamulon and actor Eric Balfour's mutual passion for yoga, surf and travel, something unique shines through the collection of leggings and board shorts. As cheesy as it sounds, I think that something is love.
When the now-married couple first met, they started surfing and doing yoga together. "We bond over being active together," Chiamulon said, and that was the basis for the Electric & Rose brand. "I've grown to love surfing and we both love yoga, but we couldn't find anything we wanted to wear," the designer said. "We were altering things we were buying and having stuff hemmed, so it was an idea we had and we just sort of went for it."
Balfour was quick to chime in and make sure his wife was getting full credit for the successful genesis of the clothing line: "Erin was already a designer. I knew nothing about making clothes, and I still don't really know anything," he laughed. "Erin is the genius behind it all. You couldn't ask for a better business partner."
Reminded of the old adage, "never mix business with pleasure," I was curious to hear about how they run a business together every day. "We definitely butt heads," Balfour said, "meaning I have an idea, Erin doesn't like it, I get angry because she doesn't like it, but then she makes it better and I have to concede that she was right in the first place."
%shareLinks-quote="Erin is the genius behind it all. You couldn't ask for a better business partner." type="quote" author="Eric Balfour" authordesc="Co-founder of Electric and Rose" isquoteoftheday="false"%
The 24 actor is nothing short of smitten for his business partner-slash-wife, and he isn't afraid to admit it. When asked about his favorite women's pieces from the Electric & Rose collection, he answered, "My favorite outfit that Erin wears, hands down? I think she looks super cute in our Sunset Leggings...I love when she does that with, oh god," he laughed, "um, her little Nike high-heeled tennis shoe wedges. When she does that with one of our girls' baggy T-shirts like the Driftwood Tee or the Ozone Tank, she looks like a little radical."
The two regard their business as their child. "It allows us an outlet to have something we feel proud of," Balfour said. "And we're just as invested as if it were our kids."
The "parents" of Electric & Rose are a match made in heaven -- or rather, a match made by their families. Chiamulon's grandmother, who was friends with Balfour's grandmother, first approached the actor at a Whole Foods. Oddly enough, Balfour's uncle and Chiamulon's mom had been childhood sweethearts! Their families were already so close that "a month after meeting we were at Thanksgiving together," Balfour said.
Somehow the couple has managed to infuse their brand with the same familiarity and comfort with which their relationship began. Simply put, they're crazy about each other and they're crazy about the life they've created together. Who can blame them for wanting to share that life with others?
%shareLinks-quote="Electric and Rose is a lifestyle brand based around the life we love." type="quote" author="Erin Chiamulon" authordesc="Co-founder of Electric and Rose" isquoteoftheday="false"%
"Electric & Rose is a lifestyle brand based around the life we love," Chiamulon said. "It doesn't come from, 'Oh hey, our profits would be better if we did this.' We didn't come into this from a corporate standpoint...it's a reflection of our community, our Venice neighborhood. It's not just a pair of leggings with mesh knees, it's us."
Are you in tears? Because I'm close. Chatting with Erin and Eric not only inspired me to live a life I love, but they inspired me to live a life worthy of love -- ideally the kind of love they share. So this Valentine's Day you'll find me at the yoga studio, rocking my Electric & Rose tank, investing some time in a little self love, and I encourage you all to do the same.
As for Electric & Rose, I can't wait to see how they continue to create, motivate and most importantly, express love. Namaste.
Shop our favorite products from Electric & Rose in the gallery below!
More in lifestyle:
Why we love Kate Hudson's style
The water bottle everyone raves about
10 most active cities in the U.S.
