Local activewear brand Crane & Lion has been roaring ahead, outfitting Oprah for the January cover of O Magazine and opening its first brick-and-mortar store, one of 21 newcomers to SoWa’s warren of galleries, studios and indie shops. Not bad for a year-old company with only three full-time employees. “We kind of hit at the right time because the athleisure trend is so hot right now,” says marketing director Kaity Cimo. “I don’t even think it’s a trend to be honest. I think it’s here to stay. I think it’s how people want to dress.” Hence the earthy palette and versatile silhouettes of the line’s tights, tanks, tees and tunics, meant to mix easily into women’s everyday wardrobes—no screaming neon here. “There are a lot of loud prints out there,” says founder and CEO John Udelson. “We’ve tried to have a cleaner look so women who want to wear something for the entire day can easily transition from a yoga class to a lunch meeting.” That blend of performance and leisure inspired the brand’s name, taken from a pair of yoga poses. “Crane is about strength and balance, and the lion is more of a relaxation breathing technique,” Cimo explains. “Sometimes you want to be strong and really go for it and work 100 percent, and some days you just want to relax, and it’s OK to do that.”

Crane & Lion 460C Harrison Ave., Suite C2, Boston. craneandlion.com