With a purpose-driven design approach, Ilana Kugel’s brand creates versatile and contemporary pieces for street style enthusiasts.
The desire to help women feel confident in their own skin was what motivated and inspired Ilana Kugel to bring the best of fitness and beachwear to KORAL, a luxury performance brand designed to inspire you to live, look and feel your best version. With a purpose-driven design approach, Ilana Kugel’s brand creates versatile and contemporary pieces for street style enthusiasts.
In an exclusive chat with Lifestyle Mag, the brand’s creator shared the details behind KORAL and a bit more about the next steps.
Lifestyle Mag: How did KORAL come about?
Ilana Kugel: When I was younger, my family’s friends owned two very popular fashion brands in Brazil and would take me to São Paulo Fashion Week and their factories. It left me amazed and very inspired! From there I went to Anhembi Morumbi University to study Fashion Design – I knew I wanted to create a brand that would make women feel confident in their own skin by bringing technical fabrics and bold colors.
LSM: How did your interest in beach and sportswear solidify?
IK: I grew up in Brazil where we are at the beach 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Also, I love working out. I wanted a brand that incorporates beachwear and sportswear because that’s the type of clothing I wear day to day. Fun fact: our swim tops are made with enough structure and durable fabric to function like sports bras!
LSM: What is KORAL’s main objective?
IK: Our motto is “In a world where you can be anything, be unstoppable”. We are a luxury performance brand designed to inspire you to live, look and feel your best.
LSM: Over the brand’s 8 years, what have been the main challenges faced?
IK: One of the main challenges and objectives is raising consumer awareness to invest in quality products. We live in a world surrounded by fast fashion and where activewear has grown and become an overly saturated market. Koral is ahead of the pack with high-caliber fabric that is durable, sustainable, and will last for years.
LSM: What is KORAL’s main objective?
IK: Our motto is “In a world where you can be anything, be unstoppable”. We are a luxury performance brand designed to inspire you to live, look and feel your best.
LSM: Over the brand’s 8 years, what have been the main challenges faced?
IK: One of the main challenges and objectives is raising consumer awareness to invest in quality products. We live in a world surrounded by fast fashion and where activewear has grown and become an overly saturated market. Koral is ahead of the pack with high-caliber fabric that is durable, sustainable, and will last for years.
LSM: And what are the main achievements?
IK: Besides successful sales on our website, one of our main achievements is our growth in retail stores. The first retail store to really believe in us was Bloomingdale’s and, since then, we’ve expanded to Revolve, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, SoulCycle, Equinox, Harrods, among others. It’s a great feeling to know we are supported.
LSM: What is KORAL’s main differentiator compared to other swim and fitness wear brands?
IK: The technology of our fabrics is what truly sets us apart. Anti-pull, chlorine-resistant, moisture-wicking, quick-drying, UV protection, antibacterial, eco-friendly, and breathability are just some of our amazing properties!
LSM: What is KORAL’s relationship with sustainable fashion?
IK: Our pieces feature the highest quality, eco-friendly fabrics in the design process. For example, the Koral Blackout™ fabric is biodegradable (in just 3 years!) and durable at the same time. Most of our materials come from recycled yarns, paper, and polyester, which help produce our trims, hang tags, and packaging.
LSM: What makes KORAL a unique brand?
IK: We focus on performance pieces, but we are also versatile. Our items can go from the gym to a night out in the city. For example, many women love to wear our Lustrous material – a metallic, shiny fabric – which is super fashionable and has really been a hit for us over the years.
LSM: Speaking a bit more about Ilana, how do you seek inspiration to create new collections?
IK: I love traveling, but when I can’t, I draw a lot of inspiration from Los Angeles, where I currently live. Here we have the beautiful Pacific Ocean, as well as the city itself. I also pay attention to what is happening around me and in the world, absorbing feelings and emotions and putting that into our latest collections.
LSM: How do you stay creative?
IK: I love being outdoors in nature and listening to podcasts. Both give me different perspectives and insights!
LSM: What are the next steps for the brand?
IK: We have some interesting collaborations with different designers coming up, which will bring something unique to the market. I can’t wait to share. Additionally, we strive to become more and more sustainable each year – reaching the goal of 100% sustainability. Both efforts will contribute to making us leaders in stylish, sustainable sportswear in the United States.
To learn more about Koral and Ilana, just click here.
