Greek of the Week: Aubrey Sieder

Sami Goldberg
Delta Gamma

Greek students at USC live fast-paced lifestyles.  For the busy sorority girl who rushes from class to the Lyon center to her sorority house, there is limited time to choose the right outfit.  Junior Aubrey Sieder, the founder of Strut-This, designs clothing that offers on-the-go women a fashionable, affordable solution.

“Strut-This is a line of fitness wear that my mom and I started with another mother-daughter team,” said Sieder, a member of Delta Gamma.

Sieder founded the line of workout attire about a year ago.  The line began with the basic black fitness capri and expanded to include shorts, tops and long pants.  The Strut-This motto, “Dress up your workout,” embodies the inspiration behind the Sieders’ product.

“We design clothes that make women feel good about themselves. Women are working out more than ever, so if they’re exercising to feel good why not look good?” said Sieder.  “Combining workout clothes with fashion is very 'in' right now.”

Strut-This prides itself on being a family business.  Before transferring to USC this fall, Sieder maximized her time at home by starting up her fitness line with her mother and family friends.  Sieder previously represented a line of fitness apparel made in Brazil and has always been interested in fashion.  After working in the fashion industry for years, Sieder’s mother brought expertise to their young business.

“My mom and I always wanted to do something together.  We also wanted something to keep us together wherever I went to school,” said Sieder, whose hometown of Calabasas, CA is ideal for her Los Angeles clientele.  “Since we’re a mother-daughter company, we have two brains.  My mom’s style and experience caters to the older generation, while I contribute to the youthful side.  We feed well off one another which makes Strut-This versatile.”

 According to Sieder, Strut-This provides apparel that is comfortable, practical, relevant and less costly than leading brands like Lululemon.  Her mission is to create stylish athletic attire that allows women to feel confident in any daily setting.

“We want women to feel powerful and strong before and after their workout,” said Sieder.

Strut-This customers are primarily located in L.A. and the San Fernando Valley, but the other mother-daughter pair in Sieder’s team has taken the line to the east coast as well.  Sieder has worked with student representatives at various universities, and her products have been received positively by USC students.  Sieder recently designed a custom line for the USC Song Girls and may design apparel for recruitment.

“We have featured our clothing at several Delta Gamma events, and being in DG has provided me with the perfect market,” said Sieder.  “The Greek system has been a great networking outlet for my business.  The DG girls have been very supportive.”

Running a business has changed Sieder’s perspective on academics and has allowed her to mature into a business-savvy student.  The Communication major and Entrepreneurship minor appreciates the applicable nature of her studies and has learned how to be personable with customers and handle different responsibilities.

“Starting slow has made me appreciate the baby steps we’re taking.  Sometimes we fall asleep at the kitchen table after brainstorming with poster boards and color swatches for hours, but it’s an enjoyable learning experience,” said Sieder.

Despite the early success of Strut-This, Sieder recognizes the line’s future potential.  She hopes to expand the presence of Strut-This on campus and within the Greek community.  Celebrity Kendall Jenner has already embraced Sieder’s workout gear, and the up-and-coming fashion line may be featured in several magazines this summer.  Strut-This is sold at a few gyms, but Sieder’s eventual goal is to establish her own store.  Her clothing can be purchased at www.Strut-This.com.

“There are a lot of avenues for the business to go,” said Sieder.  “I’ve learned how to be patient and manage my time, because even a company with amazing ideas and products aren’t built overnight.”