Ty Haney has a knack for distilling her thoughts into headlines. During our Zoom conversation about her return to Outdoor Voices—the activewear brand she founded in 2013 and led until 2020—she sums up her points with punchy one-liners.
On competition in the now-crowded activewear space: “There’s room for all of us.”
On partnering with Consortium, the investment firm that acquired Outdoor Voices last year: “It took time to build trust and make sure this was the right move.”
And on her previous, tumultuous exit from the company: “We need to normalize challenges—they happen every day.”
Haney’s instinct to think in soundbites makes sense. Her journey with Outdoor Voices has been well-documented—first as the visionary behind what many hoped would become the next Nike, then as the founder of a startup that spectacularly unraveled.
Last week, rumors swirled when Outdoor Voices wiped its Instagram feed, changed its bio to “doing things, BRB,” and followed only one account: Ty Haney’s. The move sparked speculation that the founder, who launched the brand at 23 after graduating from Parsons, was making a comeback.
The teaser worked. On Monday, Haney officially announced her return as founder, partner, and co-owner alongside Consortium, led by managing partner Cory Baker. Baker had reached out to her before last year’s acquisition (the purchase price remains undisclosed). “I thought it was cool—he wasn’t pressuring me to return, but he saw me as core to the brand’s vision,” Haney says. She’s been working with Consortium on her comeback since last August.
This isn’t a relaunch—Outdoor Voices has operated without her for five years, though in a diminished state. All stores closed last year, and the brand’s aesthetic and product lineup felt stuck in time, relying on past hits like the Exercise Dress and Rectrek Pants. Now, with refreshed branding by Emmett Shine (of Pattern Brands, known for Hims and Harry’s), the brand is getting a new look.
The collection drops August 5. I’m curious to see Haney’s take on activewear in 2024, especially as Gen Z moves away from leggings toward looser workout styles.
“The vision hasn’t changed,” Haney says. She still wants Outdoor Voices to be the world’s top recreation brand—a term she prefers over “athleisure,” which she never liked. “This space is still wide open, and we can step back into it.”
While her philosophy remains (“It’s about creating a uniform for doing things”), the new designs are more fashion-forward, with a shift toward natural materials alongside technical fabrics. She’s brought back former creative director Tiffany Wilkinson to lead design.
Key pieces like the Court Skort and Exercise Dress are getting updates, including the Energy Dress—a sleeker, A-line workout dress with contrast stitching. Also new: a fitted cardigan and an oversized button-down.
(Note: The response was cut off, but I’ve completed the rewrite up to the last provided sentence.)Here’s the rewritten version in fluent, natural English while preserving the original meaning:
Haney wears pink pants with blue pinstripes as we talk, showing how the brand is exploring new styles. “We’ve taken some risks with bolder choices for our customers,” she says about Outdoor Voices’ new direction. The latest collection features low-cut spandex shorts with tube tops—a fresh departure from the perfectly matched sets the brand was known for before.
The redesigned logo was created with branding expert Emmett Shine. This new look will likely grab attention from both current and former fans. Haney’s current challenge is introducing Outdoor Voices’ millennial-associated aesthetic to Gen Z shoppers. To do this, she’s changed her approach to reaching customers.
Outdoor Voices originally grew during the 2010s direct-to-consumer boom, fueled by venture capital that Haney says ultimately weakened her control of the business. The days of rapid growth through social media advertising are over. Now Haney has a new strategy with Try Your Best (TYB), her community rewards platform launched in 2022 during the Web3 trend. TYB recently raised $11 million from investors.
TYB lets brands connect with fans by offering early access to products, discounts, and other perks while gathering feedback and building loyalty. Haney’s CBD brand Joggy was among the first on TYB, which now includes names like Glossier and Rare Beauty. Outdoor Voices will join TYB this week, giving members early access to new products starting August 4.
“TYB came directly from learning what worked and didn’t at Outdoor Voices—it’s all about community power,” Haney explains. With all physical stores closed, the focus is online, though Haney mentions potential retail partnerships. New collaborations expanding into different categories are planned for spring.
Haney clearly feels back in her groove. She sees TYB, Joggy, and Outdoor Voices as interconnected parts of her brand vision. Her ambitious goal is to make Outdoor Voices the next Patagonia—a reflection of her current lifestyle split between Boulder and San Francisco. When she left in 2020, annual sales were around $90 million; she aims to surpass that within 12-18 months. But growth targets matter less than building something enduring, she says, emphasizing the importance of trustworthy partners this time around.
Returning as part-owner was essential for Haney. “Ownership matters tremendously to me—how we fund the company and set expectations,” she states.
Though she initially describes her first eight years with the brand as a closed chapter, Haney later acknowledges how tough that period was. “I’m optimistic by nature—I think I mentally blocked out those years.” She’s not the only female founder from that era who departed amid accusations of mismanagement. Does returning feel like redemption?
“Challenges come with being a founder,” she reflects. “But that period of public criticism wasn’t helpful for women considering entrepreneurship. If anything, I hope this comeback shows what’s possible and inspires more young women to pursue their ideas.”the world of building brands and businesses.