It didn’t begin with a business plan. It began with frustration. Natalia Ardatovskaya, mother of three, wife and MBA grad in fashion and e-commerce, was deep into hiking — not as a sport, but as a reset. Movement as freedom. Nature as ritual. The problem? What she wore.
“Everything looked dated, bulky, or technical in the wrong way,” Natalia recalls. “You could climb a mountain in it, sure, but you’d never want to be seen grabbing coffee after.”
So she made something for herself. A better silhouette. A softer palette. Something that felt like her.
And people noticed.
From Leggings and Sports Bra to a Brand
At first, it was just a personal project — a custom leggings and sports bra designed to move, flatter, and layer without screaming “I just left REI.” But soon, friends were asking where she got it. Then friends of friends. That’s when she realized: the gap in the market wasn’t just about hiking gear — it was bigger. There were millions of women living fast, layered lives, moving between workouts, errands, travel, and work — and nothing to wear that matched all of that.
“We live in an active world. And in that world, there’s no time not to look great.”
That insight became the core of Haute.
From UBS to Yoga Mats and Runways
Natalia had already worked at the Investment Bank and later ran several fashion businesses. But Haute felt different. It wasn’t about corporate targets — it was personal. She understood what it meant to juggle three kids, a full-time workload, and still want to feel strong, elegant, and well-dressed — even in motion.
She created HAUTE as a brand that could stand up to it all: modern silhouettes, technical fabrics, and an unapologetic focus on style. Activewear that doesn’t scream gym. Pieces you could wear from the mat to the airport. From the park to your next call. With edge, confidence, and ease.
Designing Movement Into Every Piece
Every item starts with one question: Can it move beautifully? That means soft, matte fabrics that stretch without sagging. Seam placements that don’t rub. Cuts that flatter — not fight — the body.
The early collections were tested in real life: by Natalia herself, running errands, doing Pilates, picking up kids, traveling for business. The first product — a pair of high-waisted leggings with no front seam, buttery compression, and an almost sculptural feel — became Haute’s quiet bestseller. “It was the best thing I had ever put on,” she says.
Not Just for the Gym — Not Just for the City
Haute’s success comes from its ability to live in-between. The pieces aren’t extreme performance wear. And they’re not luxury basics either. They exist in the overlap: sculpting leggings worn with loafers, a sports bra styled with an oversized blazer, a fleece you throw on after yoga and wear into meetings. It’s polished without trying too hard. It’s sexy but sharp.
Quiet luxury — but make it flexible.
Where It’s Going
Today, Haute has launched multiple collections, grown a loyal following in Europe and the U.S., and earned features from wellness editors and fashion stylists alike. Distributors have come knocking. Influencers started asking for pieces — not the other way around.
And it’s still just getting started.
Plans are underway for runway-style activations, more pop-ups, a stronger wholesale network, and collaborations with female-led textile artisans.
Natalia’s dream? To make activewear respected in fashion.
“Fashion has always been a place of statements. Movement is mine.”
Haute isn’t about trends. It’s about rhythm — the rhythm of modern women who don’t stop moving, thinking, or evolving. And it’s about giving them clothes that don’t ask them to choose between elegance and performance ever again.
Article based on the interview / 2025 / London, by Joselyn Anders, outsource journalist, Forbes and Fashion.
