Suite Talk: Alo Yoga’s Summer Nacewicz on Finding Space for Wellness and Her Dislike for the Term Work-life Balance
As a leader at one of the trendiest fitness and wellness brands today, it should come as no surprise that Summer Nacewicz, executive vice president of marketing and creative at Alo Yoga, has workout schedules top of mind. Even her 2024 New Year’s resolution involved finding more time for movement.
Nacewicz who joined Alo Yoga in 2021 after just more than 10 years at Bella + Canvas, has been a part of some of the brand’s largest initiatives, including its consistent evolution into new categories, like footwear and beauty, partnerships with top personalities and entering the metaverse with the launches of heightened tech.
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From new products to more robust wellness offerings Alo has grown into its own world, one that Nacewicz told WWD has just about everything. And for her part, all of these moments are just part of the masterful storytelling that she loves to work on.
Here, Nacewicz gives WWD an inside look at her own evolving wellness routine, what she’s investing in, advice for someone getting started in their career and her ideal shopping experience.
WWD: What is the first thing you do in the morning?
Summer Nacewicz: My New Year’s resolution was to become more of a morning person, which does not come naturally to me. I’ve been trying to wake up early enough to get a little workout in. Finally, after almost a year, I feel like getting up early is becoming more effortless, and just 20 minutes of movement in the morning makes me feel better all day.
WWD: What are you reading right now?
S.N.: I love reading and wish I had more time for it, but the last thing I read that really impacted me was the “Three-Body Problem” series [by Cixin Liu], which I couldn’t put down. Sci-fi isn’t my go-to genre, but I find myself thinking about those books and the vastness of the universe all the time.
WWD: What is a wellness routine must for you?
S.N.: When it comes to a wellness routine, working out consistently is a must for me. I played sports when I was younger, so staying active has always been a part of my life. It helps me feel more balanced and less stressed.
I love classes, but since I have two young kids, a more realistic daily goal is to try to get a short workout in. Usually, that means a quick run or a Pilates session on Alo Moves, or I’ll try to get some cardio in by doing walks for my one-on-one meetings instead of just sitting all day.
WWD: What is the best advice you would give someone starting in their career today?
S.N.: Use every opportunity to find out what you don’t like versus what you like. Early in my career, I did a lot of different internships, and even the bad ones were valuable in helping me realize what I didn’t want. You should also ask yourself if you want your boss’s job one day. If you do, be prepared to put in the work and be patient — it’s not going to happen overnight. If you don’t, look around the company you are at or another company and try to figure out what excites you.
WWD: What do you do to “power down” and what does having a work-life balance mean to you?
S.N.: I dislike the phrase “work-life balance” because work is where we spend most of our waking hours. If you find something you’re passionate about and love, it will just be your life, not your work life. I feel very grateful to truly love what I do, but when I get home, I try my best to put my phone away and be fully present as I spend time with my family.
WWD: Looking throughout your career, what is a project that you are most proud of?
S.N.: There have been so many launches I’ve loved, but my favorite was in January when we did a campaign called “Move Into Wellness.” It felt like the first time we really told our brand story in a campaign through the lens of wellness. It was also a last-minute scramble to lock in talent and shoot everything, but the story came together so beautifully and it was a proud moment to see the team come together like that and work so hard to bring something to life.
The launch of the Alo Runner was a close second because of the masterful storytelling. I love a campaign with a strong narrative.
WWD: When was the last time you treated yourself and what was it?
S.N.: I make a few key investments every season, but I really don’t shop much because Alo has me covered with pretty much everything I could want.
I splurged on a big YSL bag that I use as my laptop bag every day for work. My wellness obsession is NAD+ shots — it’s supposed to reverse the aging of your cells, and I’m not sure if it works, but it makes me feel healthier, psychologically. I guess I do it for a placebo effect if nothing more.
WWD: What is your ideal shopping retail experience?
S.N.: Online all the way. I like to home in on a specific piece I want and weigh all the options from across the internet. I get the appeal of stores, but it feels so limiting sometimes. It also feels like a task to try things on in a dressing room versus in the comfort of your home, where you can play around with different styling as you try to justify your purchase.
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