Here are some of the concepts, brands and communities that Carl has founded, developed and inspired…
Stretch
Broadway Market, Hackney & Columbia Road, Shoreditch, London, England.
2012 - 2022
From humble beginnings as a pop-up, Stretch London grew to become a world-reknown community yoga and fitness studio, with a highly reputable teacher training founded by Carl. It broke the traditional mould of patchouli, ‘teal-everything’ and spiritual posturing. It challenged the idea of who yoga is for and fought for inclusivity along lines of race, age, gender, sexuality and economic and social disparity. It also knew how to throw a party!
Exhale Festival
Fairoaks Farm, Wiston, West Sussex, UK
2014 - Present
Began life as an affordable and inclusive ‘retreat-like’ excursion. Escalated into an exciting boutique festival with a capacity of 500. Exhale is a community of its own that spans London, the South Coast and beyond. Yoga, kids activities, fitness, Sports days, Gong Baths, Ice Baths, foraging, family fun and disco dancing in the barn - A highlight of the year!
Tend
2020-2021
During the pandemic when yoga studios were closed under UK law, Carl implemented a concept that he had worked on for ‘Stretch Brighton’ (Itself a Covid-cancelled, 18 months in planning, last-stage of VC-funded four-storied mega wellness destination!)
Tend was a shop for tending… To yourself, your loved ones and your community. Mostly featuring local makers, ceramicists, artists and many beautiful plants. It was a joy to create and a wonderful distraction from the shuttered yoga studio that housed it.
Arc
2020 - 2022
Throughout the initial lockdowns in 2020, Stretch quickly set up high quality live-streamed yoga and breath-work classes. Thanks to Carl’s audio background, the set up was swift but also focussed on audio and visual excellence with ease of delivery. The classes, of up to 150 people initially became the reason Stretch survived as long as it did, and a pandemic lifeline to so many. With free classes for key-workers, and for those that had lost or were already on low income, daily online yoga was a godsend.
By the winter of 2020, many yoga teachers were set up and running their own online classes. But Carl, along with co-teacher Calli realised there was a need for a different type of container - one that emphasised the closeness and safety of real online community, as opposed to the open, easy access policy of Stretch. These were unusual times. People really needed the support of a dedicated group. Arc - our seasonally subscribed online yoga container was born.
While the classes were recorded live from a garage in the north of Ibiza and a spare bedroom in Woodingdean on the South Coast of England, the creative imagery used wilderness shots and videos from a quiet and stunning winter in Ibiza. The name Arc came from Archipelago - the idea we are all islands, but joined by a deep connection we can’t always see.
