Make Things Beautiful
The beginning of every trend
Hey, it’s Alexandra. Welcome to my weekly newsletter where I share my latest reflections on professional development and well-being.
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This week, I share reflections on:
An Instagram-driven Pilates trend
How to create a valuable product
How to skyrocket adoption
☕️ Read time: 3 mins (best with tea or coffee)
“It’s been around for over a hundred years but now that it’s on Instagram it’s exploded in popularity.”
That’s what the reformer Pilates instructor I had a couple of weeks ago told the four of us new to her class.
I was struck by the magnitude of her statement.
It got me thinking about Instagram—and more broadly, trends.
My initial intrigue in reformer Pilates was spurred by images of Reformation—a gorgeous Pilates studio in Paris.
Back in 2019, when I was living in the French capital, I was keen to find a Pilates studio near me.
Naturally, I turned to the Internet.
Luckily I did as I stumbled upon a gem I never would’ve discovered from simply strolling around the Marais—the quaint, artsy neighbourhood where I lived.
But thanks to my online aerial view, I discovered Reformation nestled in a courtyard resembling a secret garden.
Here’s a glimpse of the stunning green doors that concealed the cobblestone runway to Pilates heaven:
The studio paired perfectly with its grand entrance.
I especially loved the reformer room with plants hung from the ceiling and sun pouring through the skylight—not to mention its old stone wall emblematic of France’s rich history.
It was beautiful.
The same can be said for the new reformer class I’ve joined in Montreal.
Nestled atop a fitness studio accessible by a spiral staircase, the room overlooks a sea of green textured by large, old trees iconic to my neighbourhood. (The other day it rained and there was the most beautiful rainbow painted across the big blue canvas beyond.)
What I’ve learned from my reformer classes in Montreal and Paris is products are king and ambiance is queen.
You need both to create experiences that resonate with how people want to feel.
In other words, you have to help people fall in love with a process.
Beauty is a vital part of that equation.
Take Reformer Pilates, for example. The initial reformer “apparatus” was born from attaching springs to mattresses in a hospital ward.
During World War I, Joseph Pilates had sought—and succeeded—in helping bed-bound patients “engage in resistance exercises without having to stand up.”
After the war, Joseph continued to refine his apparatus, incorporating it into a Pilates studio of his own in the 1920s.
“As Pilates has evolved, the reformer has remained an essential piece of equipment and provides an effective (and fun!) way to lengthen and strengthen the muscles of the body.”
—Kaya Health Clubs
The evolution of reformer Pilates from makeshift hospital apparatuses to designer machines gracing the hottest studios in Paris is remarkable.
Moreover, it illustrates two lessons:
Lesson #1: How to Create a Valuable Product
The best creators and innovators are first and foremost problem solvers.
When I worked at a startup hub from 2020 to 2021, I heard coaches say this to founders a lot:
“Fall in love with the problem, not your solution.”
Joseph Pilates internalized this wisdom. As a sickly child who suffered from “asthma, rickets, and rheumatic fever,” Joseph made improving his health and strength his life’s work.
He emerged as a leader, innovator, and teacher celebrated across countless countries and cultures.
Lesson #2: How to Skyrocket Adoption
Mass adoption comes from anchoring a product in an experience.
Naturally, an apparatus fit for a hospital would seem jarring outside of one.
Hence why developing a less “medical-mechanical” version was part of integrating the reformer apparatus into Joseph’s Pilates studio post-war.
Design aspects including but not limited to form, colours, and textures were crucial to making reformer Pilates appealing to non-patient populations.
But that alone wasn’t enough to skyrocket adoption.
As my reformer instructor said a few weeks ago, “It’s been around for over a hundred years but now that it’s on Instagram, it’s exploded in popularity.”
This is where anchoring a product in an experience comes into play.
I’m drawn to reformer studios because they exude health, wellness, and serenity. I want to immerse myself in those vibes as part of my fitness routine.
As much as I love the machine-powered exercise itself, there’s no way in hell I’d be enticed to join a class set in a hospital-like room with springs jammed into a mattress.
Lighting, decor, and aesthetics are crucial in creating the right vibe.
The reformer studios I’m a fan of complement minimalism with greenery and natural light.
Instagram’s ability to capture that beauty creates a heavenly draw.
In a recent class, an instructor asked “Do you mind if I take a video? This room is too beautiful not to!”
Despite my lackluster at being filmed working out, I said “Sure.”
So I guess now I’ve contributed to the Instagram trend. May it continue to ripple from Paris to Montreal (and beyond).
Thanks for reading and have a wonder-full week,
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☕️ Reach out to grab coffee or tea in Montreal.
Re lesson # 2, this applies perfectly to storytelling and the adoption of ideas. Anchoring an idea in a shared experience with a setting, characters, a conflict, and some kind of ending or resolution makes it stick.
My abs were never better than when I used to do reformer pilates (sigh). I didn't know it was trending again but happy you're enjoying the workouts as well as the beautiful studio!