Websites: My Saturday mornings are consumed by the following:

• refinery29.com (sign up for their email blasts...highly addictive)
• advancedstyle.blogspot.com (think the sartorialist, but with old people...amazing. I can’t wait to be 80 and crazy!)
• http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com (I just recently gave up wheat and her recipes make my mouth water)
• http://nymag.com/daily/fashion (I could spend hours here)

Magazines: Nylon, Vogue, Marie Claire. US versions are a monthly must—I treat myself to the international versions when I travel.

lululemon items to work out in: I’m a basic kinda gal. Give me a Flow Y Bra, an oversized Racerback tank and some Wunder Unders and I’m good to go.

Way to sweat: Hot vinyasa flow. If Vancouver ever got a Baptiste studio, I’d die.

Film: I’ve got a three-way tie going on at the moment: Lagerfeld Confidential, Valentino: The Last Emperor, and Unzipped. I love watching documentaries about crazy fashion designers. I heart Karl hugely.

Place to run: My absolute most favourite runs were when I was in high school and would run cross country in the fall—I love the smell of wet leaves and running through all the colours.

Font: Times New Roman. Again, basics kinda gal.

Way to spend a Sunday morning: Stretchy pants, a hot bowl of oatmeal, and a cat in my lap.

The question I hear most often as a designer (right after 'Where'd you get those shoes?') is: 'Where do you come up with all your ideas?'

I suppose from an outside point of view, the design process appears to be a mystery, with new product arriving in stores week after week.

It's actually a continuous process from concept to development to production, and I'm excited to share with you on a regular basis on the lululemon blog what goes on inside the mind of a designer.

Right now, I've got fall on the brain.

Ever since I got back from vacation and discovered that summer has officially ended, all I can think of are cozy layers, soft fleece, and toques.

Here's what's been inspiring me this season:

our amazing elite ambassadors

I had the honor of joining 11 of our elite ambassadors on a retreat in Tofino a few weeks ago. Often what I forget when watching athletes perform is that this is their life. Their schedules are packed with non-stop training, traveling, and competing.

Their dedication and commitment inspires me to create accessories that will make their hectic lives as easy as possible. If they aren't worrying about the bag that's carrying their gear, they'll have that much more free brain space to focus on what really matters: the competition. I might never break a world record, but I can design a rad duffel.

layering

(As seen at Rag & Bone) I remember seeing this collection come out back in the spring. I loved it so much I almost wanted to skip summer and go straight to fall so I could copy every look. I love to layer, and nothing makes me more excited than a great fall transition outfit.

the peace of mind vest

Shannon and her team nailed this one. I can't wait to rock this with a pair of black Wunder Unders, a long white t-shirt, a shrunken flannel, and my new black patent leather Birkenstocks I bought while on vacation. Perfect for a Saturday morning latte run on the way to yoga...or perhaps work tomorrow.

bon voyage duffel

Now that the weather's cooling off, I'm looking forward to getting back into the studio and logging in some gym time. This duffel is the perfect size for all my gear (I don't travel light...even to work) including a spot for my mat. And best of all? It doesn't scream 'gym bag' so I'll look good no matter where my day takes me.

hunter clogs

Brilliant! To say it rains occasionally in Vancouver is like saying it gets a little dry in the Sahara. Wellies are a wardrobe staple from September until June, and rocking a pair of real clogs isn't really all that practical. These puppies let me be practical and stylish... I'm in love.

What's inspiring you this season?

Last Monday we met Jurgen from recruiting. Today, start off your week by meeting Katie from our accessories design team.

what is something unique or surprising about you?

I have a twin brother. He's massive -- think ‘Shrek’-like proportions. Not sure how we survived a womb together, but that might explain why we were 6 weeks early.

where is your favourite place in the world?

Anywhere there’s a yoga mat--too cliché? How about New York. Hands down. I feel oddly comforted the minute I get into the city and can smell the nut vendors.

what is your favourite way to sweat?

Hot yoga. Preferably a heated vinyasa flow class. Any time, any place, I’m there. Nothing feels better than dripping buckets.

what gets you up in the morning?

My cat, appropriately named ‘Skurvy’. He likes to wake me up at 5 am by licking my eyelids. It was cute the first time.

a goal you've achieved that you're proud of?

‘I am in a committed relationship with a handsome hunk of a man by November 2010." Oh wait, wrong goal.

‘I maintain a consistent blog by December 2010’. I’ll be heading up a weekly designer-based blog entry on our lululemon blog and can also be found blogging on Saturdays at www.vancouveryogareview.com

Interested in possibilities on the design team? Check out our careers page: http://www.lululemon.com/careers, and if you have any design questions be sure to ask away!

What is your role at lululemon?

My role is to elevate the men’s product to be best in the world by being the new Men’s designer. And also to win the conference championship for the lululemon dodgeball team.

What has your biggest career achievement, to date, been?

I’ve been pretty blessed with the opportunities that have been given to me and have learned under some incredible directors from amazing companies that continue to be my role models. However, recently one of my first designs from RLX Polo Ralph Lauren was put on the runway and featured in Vogue. So check that one off the goal list.

How do you think your co-workers would describe you?

Well Chip once referred to me as a walking art show, and my technical designer described me as Tigger from Winnie the Pooh. The rest say that I am a very open, loud (thanks to my bad hearing) person that works hard, laughs a lot and makes up descriptive words. I might also be slightly competitive (go lemonballers).

What's your favourite yoga class? Why?

Kundalini. It’s amazing how it unblocks channels in your body, and I always leave feeling centered and tingly. It's also really fun, and I openly admit that I have no idea what I am chanting though.

What designs are you working on right now?

I am currently designing Fall 2010. We have some great outerwear and tech mens tops coming!!!

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?

I love to read romantic vampire novels, and none of that Twilight stuff -- trust me -- there’s much better. Oh, and National Geographic!!!

If you could trade places with someone in the company who would it be and why?

Allison Forsyth. She has this amazing relationship with our elite athletes that allow us to have them test our product and give feedback. And who better then athletes wanting to wear our product, not ones we pay to wear them! Plus she organizes events for us to support them, and I can wear face paint and hold obnoxious signs like the rest of them... P.S. She shares my competitive edge -- you don’t want us throwing a dodgeball at you....we take it seriously.

What are your future career goals?

I am going to be a comic book cover illustrator and have my own gallery show.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

I don’t know if I’d qualify this as a piece of advice or more as a lifelong example, but I had two amazing women in my life that sacrificed so many things and worked so hard to give me what they didn’t have. So it's always been shown to me that hard work actually does pay off.

What would be your theme song for your life story?

Miss Fat Booty... just kidding, kind of. I would pick, “What a Beautiful World”, by Louis Armstrong.

What's your Big Hairy Audacious Goal!?

Grow super powers, and save the world... I might even have a cape.

Inspired to design technical product? We are hiring a lead yoga designer in Vancouver!

Want to see some of the tanks featured in this video? Check 'em out: http://shop.lululemon.com/women_tanks/pl/c/530.html

Up next? Learn all about how to find the perfect fitting bra!

Running your first marathon is a challenge that far too few of us attempt. Natalie, one of our design assistants, and Katy, our print designer, went through the months of training necessary to get their bodies in shape for the grueling 26 miles ahead of them.

This is the story of their training, their run and their friendship:

Nat and Katy: The Story Of Two Would-Be Marathoners from lululemon athletica on Vimeo.

Above: MelEesa, our Men's Designer, test drives some of our luxtreme items in the park near our office.

If you've ever gone shopping for athletic wear, you have likely come face to face with the words "technical fabric". Have you ever wondered what this means and how it can enhance your workouts?

The term "technical fabric" refers to high-performance fabrics created and marketed specifically for sportswear. These fabrics are designed to pull moisture from your skin during periods of heavy sweating, spreading it evenly throughout the fabric so that sweat evaporates quicker and ultimately, you dry faster after your workouts than in a cotton t-shirt.

Luxtreme is a lightweight, smooth-feeling technical fabric that we use in our run line. Luxtreme is what we call an "inherently wicking" fabric, which means that the wicking property is part of the yarn itself and that your shirt will be wicking away your sweat for the life of the garment. Bottom line is that you will be calm, cool and collected before, during and after your workout.

I converted to wearing technical fabrics for all of my active living about a decade ago. So when I was given the task of test-running one of our luxtreme tops for work I decided to pass it on to my colleague Jacquie, who has always worn cotton t-shirts and tanks for her daily run. On a typical day she runs for about 40 minutes -- long enough to build up a good sweat!

If you have worn or worked out in any lululemon garments using Luxtreme I would love to hear your feedback below!

I look forward to sharing more information with you on our various fabrics and how they can make your workouts more fun. In the meantime, if you want a quick read on Luxtreme and our other technical fabrics check out the link below:

http://www.lululemon.com/education/info/care

View some of our Luxtreme products:

• Run: Dash Crop
• Speed Up Tank
• Run: Ambition Tight
• All Sport Bra
• Run: Hustle Crop

Above: Meet Shannon, our Running / Outerwear Designer extraordinaire!

Each week we want to introduce you to some of the amazing people who work hard to make lululemon what it is. If there is anyone you'd like to see featured, drop us a line in the comments below and we'll do our best to give you that behind the scenes look at who we are and what we do.

On that note, please meet Shannon, our Running and Outerwear Designer!

What brought you to lululemon?

I’ve always loved the store and the product since lululemon opened on W4th Avenue in Vancouver. I liked what they stood for and thought that so many of their values were similar to my own “life values”. I felt like it would be an exciting culture to be a part of.

When one of my best friends got a design job and told me that they were growing rapidly, I applied immediately and started as a product developer, which quickly turned into a design position.  That was over 3 years ago.

What do you like best about working at lululemon? What do you like best about your role?

I come to work everyday and work with some of my favorite people who have all become close friends of mine. I create. I design. I inspire and get inspired. I laugh a lot. Then I go running with colleagues or do yoga and come up with more ideas. I work really hard. And then I see it all come to life and it’s like magic.  The best part of my role is seeing the affect our product has on everyone around me, including the guests in our stores.

What skills / qualities have made you successful in your role?

Creativity, the ability to innovate, leadership, problem solver extraordinaire, multi-tasking & efficiency in tasks, teamwork, the ability to adapt.

What is your lululemon legend, ie: something you’ve already created or something you plan to create?

The lululemon running line! It’s my passion in life.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in your role in the future?

Never stop trying. Work really hard. Get a design education. Love what you do. Don’t ever be afraid to try something crazy.

>>> Interested in working in a role like Shannon's? Start setting some goals or visit our careers section to see if we have an opening that interests you!

Nothing gets me more excited than when I'm working in our stores and I hear about guests falling in love with the TaTa Tamer. It may seem a little self-serving to name the TTT as my favourite piece of lululemon, but how can I not?

Any girl who's ever had to wear two bras just to go for a run knows exactly where I'm coming from. It's of course a lot more than that for me, being my first (read: more gorgeous supportive bras to come!) major contribution to lululemon in the world of full support sports bras.

I'm passionate about what I do: bras and underwear are fun and shouldn't be boring! I believe they should be a part of your outfit; they should look great and function for you no matter what you're doing.

I love solving problems in creative ways. Whether it's educators telling me about guest experiences or it's getting the opportunity to fit someone properly in the perfect sports bra for their needs, it makes my day. It's one thing to love what you do, another to do what you love, and it's something close to incredible when doing what you love changes the lives of women in the best possible way.

I wear my TTT all the time, co-coordinating of course with whatever outfit/activity I'm up to - working, running, jumping, dodgeballin'...(yes, I have specific outfits for these activities!). I've got various colours to work with my various outfits.

I love love love being a woman, I love being active, and I don’t believe that women should ever have to compromise one for the other. I'm proud of my shape, I like my curves and I want to still look feminine while running. No more uni-boob, AND I get the support I need! What else could I ask for? It's a fun, cute garment that functions. How could the TaTa Tamer not be my favourite piece of lululemon?

Melissa is our bra and swimwear designer. Her big, hairy, ambitious goal is to have Oprah talk about one of her bras on air.

In the photo above, Melissa and MelEesa (both on our design team) are wearing the Movement Tank over top of their TaTa Tamers. To try on and fall in love with a TaTa Tamer yourself, please visit your local lululemon store.