Leading Stylerunner | Anna Brennan on Growth, Strategy & Style
Anna Brennan is a highly accomplished retail leader with over 20 years of extensive experience across retail, merchandising, marketing, digital, and store operations. As General Manager of Stylerunner since May 2023, Anna is driving the brand's ambitious expansion strategy across Australia and New Zealand.
Anna brings proven expertise in leading large-scale retail businesses and delivering exceptional commercial outcomes. Her impressive career spans some of fashion retail's most prestigious companies, including, The Iconic, Harvey Nichols, Glue Store. The Just Group and David Jones.
With Your Host, Elizabeth Formosa
Anna Brennan, General Manager, Stylerunner
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Recognised for outstanding leadership in building and mentoring high-performing teams, Anna fosters a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous development. She is a strong advocate for talent growth, coaching individuals to reach their full potential and drive organisational success.
Vision for Stylerunner
Under Anna's leadership, Stylerunner is positioned as the go-to destination for women in lifestyle and activewear—where fashion meets performance. She is spearheading the brand's bold vision to lead the market with a premium, fashion-first experience that empowers women to look and feel their best, wherever life takes them.
"We are so excited to bring our vision to life and create spaces that celebrate our female community," says Anna of Stylerunner's expansion strategy.
Anna is based in the Greater Sydney Area and continues to drive innovation in the rapidly growing Australian athleisure market, which is worth $4.2B and shows strong momentum in the premium segment.
During our chat, Anna and I discussed:
Doubling Stylerunner’s store numbers in just over two years
Growing footwear to 55% of the product mix, with a major pivot into womens lifestyle sneakers
The re-emergence of performance footwear with fashion-forward colours and styles
How Anna and her team curate brands that resonate with female consumers across all ages
Blending activewear with lifestyle pieces for a true “studio to street” experience
Building community through national run clubs, engaging both serious runners and stylish beginners
The role of own brand development and partnerships with global labels
Balancing data, creativity, and team culture to fuel business growth
And so much more!
CONNECT WITH ANNA
Meet your host Elizabeth Formosa
Elizabeth founded fashion consultancy Fashion Equipped in 2012 to expand the reach and potential of the Australian industry. Backed by decades of experience in all aspects of the business, and passionate about entrepreneurship, growth and the power of community, Elizabeth and her team deliver fashion consulting, mentorship and online learning to hundreds of businesses and counting. From buying, product development, sales and sourcing, to strategic planning, marketing and team management, our expert line-up of industry insiders are committed to sharing their knowledge, networks and passion - to empower you to build a thriving fashion business.
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