With open arms, say hello to the one and only Claire Hacker: a 25-year-old Vancouverite who turned her lengthy battle with mental health into a gentle, safe and intuitive space and loungewear brand from which we learn that it is truly, okay to rest.
Claire grew up in a world many of us are familiar with: one of hairspray, leotards, and bobby pins. And on the other hand, one of eating disorders, anxiety and body dysmorphia: the world of competitive dance. Despite the constant dedication to her craft, Claire found that no matter what she did, it was impossible to please today’s hustle and grind culture. “If I weren’t constantly moving or doing, I would feel this overbearing and heavy sense of guilt,” said Claire. “This mindset quickly bled into all other aspects of my life and was a strong catalyst for my uphill, ongoing battle with disordered eating and anxiety. This mindset followed me into my college years. When covid hit, it was the first time I was forced to rest and take time for myself without the pressure to ‘keep up’ with societal expectations.”
One morning in the cold, isolated silence of April 2020, Claire beaded herself a bracelet with the phrase “okay to rest” on it. “This phrase stuck with me and grounded me any time I began to start feeling guilt toward resting. In the fall of 2020, I decided to have some crewnecks screen printed for friends as little reminder pieces.” It was then when Claire realized “just how crucial and universal this reminder is for all of us. Something so simple but so hard to stick to.” In some of the scariest and darkest times for many of us, Claire was able to anchor down her emotions and spark a light, catching fire and creating a loungewear brand backed with intent and purpose.
Once the ideas and the stars aligned, it was time to get busy. Designing, producing, manufacturing, shipping, advertising and more all take part in the seemingly simple process of building the Okay to Rest brand. “Because this process is so new for me, it is still constantly changing. Design is my favourite part; I’ve taught myself the basic ropes of Illustrator through YouTube tutorials. I almost always go into Illustrator blind and see what my brain can think up on any given day. It’s so special to see the progress of my designs in flux throughout the last couple of years.” Within designs, Claire says comfort must always come first. “Sweatsuits are my safety blanket. For me, feeling physically comfortable in a space makes it a heck of a lot easier to feel more at ease and less anxious in any given environment.” Once the basic comfy cozy designs have been conceived, the next step is manufacturing. “I have a local supplier who sends the product to a local screen printer here in Vancouver.” From there, Okay To Rest transforms into Santa’s workshop. Everything is returned to Claire, quality checked, and each item individually wrapped and packed (a timely yet super therapeutic process, Claire says). “Every piece I create quickly becomes my new favourite,” says Claire, “but my most worn piece is definitely my grey Universe set. It was the first piece that really solidified this little dream of mine. I will cherish it forever.”
But the sweatsuits are really just the tip of the iceberg. It was clear from the get-go that Okay To Rest stands for something deeper than 100% cotton or 5-10 day 15 dollar shipping. “Listening to endless stories within the OTR community of connection and bonafide conversation between friends and strangers, started by my designs, is absolutely wild to me. The physical clothing pieces are a vessel for a much deeper, very necessary reminder that clearly hits home for a lot of people.” In other words, community connection is a crucial element to the success of the Okay To Rest crewneck.
Furthermore, Claire reaps what she sows and makes sure to additionally use rest as an ultimate means to her success. As a young female entrepreneur running her business completely solo, taking time to recharge is absolutely essential. “Going for walks and going thrifting are two of my favourites. Any activity where I can blast music and shut my brain off for a little while works wonders,” says Claire. Additionally, boundaries are unconditional, says Claire. Finding balance between rest and the taxing workload Claire undertakes is something she works on everyday. “It’s a complicated journey to harmoniously intertwine the two. Not much can really prepare you for the stress and responsibility that comes along with owning and operating a business. It’s not something that you get to leave at the door at the end of the day; it sticks with you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s extremely easy to let emails and DMs consume the majority of the day. From the minute I get up to the minute I go to bed, there is always something I could be working on, but I’ve started setting solid timelines for work-related tasks. However, I’m working on this at 11pm right now, so this idea is definitely still a work in progress haha.”
All that to say, perfection is the plague, and a place of progress is exactly where Claire, you and me need to be. “I’m a pretty shy and reserved person who deals with a ton of severe social anxiety,” says Claire. She has quickly learned how imperative it is, both for her business and her own sanity to assert herself and face problems head-on. “Confrontation is hard, but if you don’t do it, no one else will! Whether it’s the bank, the post office, the screen printers, the suppliers, and so on, there is always room for massive error, so I’m constantly working to be my own #1 advocate.”
And although Claire is inclined to rest, it absolutely in no way makes her lazy. This girl has big dreams and continues to keep marching confidently toward them. “I’m so happy with how the brand is growing and want to make sure it continues to stay community focused and genuine. I would love to be able to start hosting more pop-ups centred around different areas of rest and really showcase community members who also promote beautiful ways to rest. However, that’s on pause as I’m also on route to getting my counsellors degree right now. It would also be unreal to be able to support people directly. Especially young people in competitive dance and sports, specifically relating to concepts of burnout and sensitivity through counselling”.
In conclusion, the world needs all of our softness, our leisure, our empathy, and our rest in order to grow. Rest is cool, and Claire and the OTR crew have got the memo. So go ahead and sing, sleep, swim and be still.
And of course, check out the OTR Instagram @okaytorest to catch their latest drops and www.okaytorest.com to shop. Stay sensitive 🙂
