Our
Story
More than activewear. A confidence movement — built for women who were tired of being told the clothes were right and they were wrong.
"Clothes should fit you. Not the other way around."
— Brittany Lewin · Founder
She didn't start Empress to build a brand. She started it because nobody else would.
Before Empress, B spent years in the activewear industry — learning the craft, understanding what women needed, and watching what happened when a brand lost sight of the women it was supposed to serve.
She'd felt it herself. That feeling of trying to change your body to fit the clothes. Of going to the gym six days a week, restricting yourself, doing everything right — and still not fitting. Not because anything was wrong with her. But because nobody had made anything for her.
So she started making it herself.
Made-to-order leggings. Real measurements. Real bodies. And they sold out immediately — because she wasn't the only one who'd been left out.
When she finally realised the industry she'd been working in had no intention of changing, she left. And she built something where everyone is welcome. Full stop.
"I don't just design the clothes — I engineer the fit. I draft every pattern because I know how it feels to wear something that wasn't made for your body. And I refuse to let another woman feel like she's the problem."
— Brittany Lewin, Founder
Don't take our word for it. Take theirs.
13,677 reviews and counting. Here's what real women — in all shapes, all sizes, all walks of life — say about wearing Empress.
Designed by women. For women. No exceptions.
Empress Athleticus exists to support the wellbeing of women — body, mind, and spirit. Not as a tagline. As a promise.
We're women-owned, women-run, and genuinely obsessed with making products that actually work for the women who wear them. Breathable. Squat-proof. No camel toe. No muffin top. No digging in. No adjusting all day.
Just clothes that fit your body. And make you feel strong, comfortable, and completely yourself.
We design for sizes AU 6 to 30+, and we mean that. Every size is tested on real bodies — not just graded up from a size 6 pattern. Because every woman deserves to feel like the clothes were made for her. Because they were.
"Confidence doesn't come from changing your body. It comes from wearing something that actually fits it."
— Brittany Lewin
Ready to find clothes that actually fit?
Breathable, squat-proof, no camel toe, no muffin top — and every size tested on a real body. Find yours.
The things we'll never compromise on
These aren't marketing words. They're the reasons B started Empress — and the reasons we're still here.
Meet Brittany Lewin
"When people ask what I do for a living, I usually say: 'I run an activewear brand.'
But what I really want to say is…
I design clothes that change the way women feel about themselves. I make the patterns. I obsess over the fit. Because I know what it's like to wear something that doesn't fit your body and makes you feel like you're the problem.
You're not. The clothes were.
I take that seriously. Every seam, every waistband, every fabric choice — it's all intentional. Comfortable, flattering, supportive. No digging in. No adjusting all day. No 'that'll do.' Just pieces that actually fit real bodies. And make you feel strong, soft, powerful, you.
That's what I do for a living. And I wouldn't trade it for the world.
Thank you for being part of this journey. We're just getting started."
Meet the Dream Team
15 women (and one very outnumbered husband) who show up every single day to make Empress what it is. From the first sketch to the moment your parcel lands at your door — this is who you're really buying from.
We think about every decision behind what we make.
Empress garments are made in ethical, trusted facilities — both locally on the Sunshine Coast and with carefully chosen overseas partners who share our values. We don't cut corners on quality, ethics, or sustainability.
We manufacture in small batches to reduce waste, we're transparent about where our pieces are made, and we choose every fabric, every maker, and every process with care.
Be Scared. And Do It Anyway.
Empress was built on this belief. And B wrote it all down.
This free ebook is B's real story — where confidence actually comes from, why body positivity isn't as simple as "just love yourself," and how to push past the edge of your comfort zone even when it scares you.
Because that's how this works. You don't wait until you're ready. You just… do it anyway.
- How confidence is built — not born
- B's personal story and why Empress exists
- Practical tools for stepping outside your comfort zone
- Why being seen doesn't have to feel terrifying
- For every woman who's ever felt like she didn't belong
This isn't just our brand. It's yours too.
B's passion for community is at the heart of everything Empress does. This brand has always been a conversation, not a monologue.
We use our platform to amplify women's voices, create space for real conversations about body confidence, and cheer each other on, because that's what we needed and couldn't find anywhere else.
Some of our best prints started as ideas from our community. Some of our most important decisions came from feedback in our Facebook group. This brand grows because you help grow it.
Limited Edition Pre-Sales
The Empress Museum