Putting the fashion back in athleisure

Meredith Fuller is no stranger to wearing athletic clothing in her everyday life.

When she was in New York pursuing dance and then a career in fashion, she said she “lived” in her favorite workout attire.

So when she moved back to Alabama and couldn’t convince her corporate colleagues of the market for athletic gear that can transition into other aspects of life, she decided to branch out on her own.

Her store, Eleven Eleven, opened its brick and mortar location at 2411 Montevallo Road late this spring and offers several high-end “athleisure” brands.

Athleisure — a new branch of the fashion industry expected to be valued globally at $350 billion by 2020, according to Morgan Stanley — is the concept of wearing clothing like athletic leggings, shorts or other items to work, out with friends or any other activity that isn’t in the gym.

“These clothes are expensive; you should be able to wear them [whenever],” Fuller said.

Fuller is originally from Montgomery, and first started her own business as an online retailer who would do pop-up sales around Birmingham.

She said she got the idea after she moved back to the South because she was used to the availability New York City provided.

“I just saw so many women living in these clothes,” she said. “When I moved back here, there really just wasn’t any kind of option.”

Eleven Eleven carries only brands Fuller herself can personally vouch for.

“I lived in these leggings and these tops, and these are the ones I really like,” she said.

Brands such as D.Y.I., Alala and Free People are already customer favorites, she said, with many of her styles selling out almost as soon as she gets them in stock. “They’re different than anything you’d see around here,” she said.

When looking for pieces, Fuller said she looks at the quality of the garment’s construction as well as its durability.

She said she is also looking to explore creating her own athleisure line, and if she is successful, would ensure the clothes are made in the state of Alabama.

Fuller explained name “Eleven Eleven” comes from her time in New York, when she and her now-husband Jon were in a long-distance relationship. Every night at 11:11 p.m., they would look at the clock and think of one another or reach out.

Upon further research, she said, the time has a history of bringing good luck, synchronicity and simplicity, so her husband suggested it as the name.

The storefront has curated racks of merchandise, a purposeful choice to further pursue that feeling of simplicity, Fuller said.

“I really wanted it to look like an art gallery and have the clothes be the art,” she said.

Customers will never need to dig through bins of clothing, she said, but can instead browse and then ask about different sizes.

“I wanted it to be as welcoming and relaxing as I could make it,” she said.

For more information, visit elevenelevenclothiers.com.