The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Founder to tell how she fashioned high-end firm
Monreal London chief to speak at Entrepreneurial Scotland conference
The entrepreneur behind luxury womenswear brand Monreal London will be in Scotland next month to talk about her meteoric rise to prominence in the world of sports fashion.
Stefani Grosse’s first visit north of the border will be to join a top-class line-up of speakers at Entrepreneurial Scotland’s 22nd annual conference at Gleneagles on April 26.
Inspirational role models and emerging entrepreneurial talent will be at the Perthshire resort to explain how ambitious business leaders with a “global mindset” can follow in their footsteps and achieve success on the world stage.
Ms Grosse – whose high-end fashion sportswear is stocked by some of the world’s most prestigious retailers, including Net-a-porter, Selfridges and Harrods – said she was excited about the event, which is being supported by headline sponsor Cazenove Capital and The Courier, Press and Journal and Energy Voice as co-media partners.
A keen golfer, Stefani is looking forward to playing a round on one of the world’s top courses while in Perthshire.
But tennis was her first love, having first picked up a racket at the age of five.
The German-born fitness fashionista’s early friendship circle included Steffi Graf, who went on to dominate women’s tennis and rack up 22 Grand Slam singles titles.
Ms Grosse’s parents worked in fashion and sport, so it was little surprise their daughter went on to combine both in her career after studies at the Parsons School of Design in New York.
She worked on brands including Donna Karan and Calvin Klein before turning her attention to her own brand of luxury sportswear for women.
“I had been making my own clothes from an early age,” she said.
“I couldn’t find anything on the sports side that I wanted to wear so decided that if anyone was going to change that, it might as well be me.”
Most other women’s sportswear around offered good athletic performance or style, but not both, she said.
She founded Monreal London in 2012, by which time she already had more than 16 years of high-end fashion design experience under her belt.
The firm, which has only been properly up and running since 2013, is now a £1-million-plus turnover business.
It has dressed staff at top hotels and exclusive sports clubs, as well as tennis tournament ball girls and VIP hosts.
High-profile customers include Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, and Victoria Beckham.
Ms Grosse wants Monreal London to become “the Gucci of women’s sportswear”.
She added: “We aim to cater for the woman who wants more; who values her appearance as much as winning. That’s the goal.
“It’s for women who want to look good while working out, while the clothes are so good you can also use them as casual wear. They are sexy, fashionable and comfortable.”
The conference also features recordbreaking adventurer Mark Beaumont, Cobra Beer founder Lord Bilimoria and Tesla’s western Europe director George Ell among its speakers.
Further information is available at entrepreneurialscotland.com.