Purdue x Vitality: Activewear for every body
The three founders of Balance Athletica - now known as Vitality. Pictured from left to right: Steve Dilk, Taylor Chamberlain-Dilk and Chloe Chamberlain.
Purdue partners with alumni-founded apparel company to bring branded Boilermaker athleticwear to all
Purdue University is embarking on a first-of-its-kind partnership with Boilermaker-owned athleticwear brand Vitality that emphasizes inclusivity, balance and community-building.
Owned by alumni sisters Taylor Chamberlain-Dilk and Chloe Chamberlain, Vitality’s brand mission closely aligns with Purdue’s spirit, and the partnership is looking to take giant leaps in collegiate collaborations.
“We’re proud to partner with Purdue University — the place that defined our college experience and provided us with the knowledge to pursue our dreams. This collaboration is a meaningful way for us to reconnect with a community we’ve always felt proud to be part of,” says the Vitality founders.
We’re proud to partner with Purdue University — the place that defined our college experience and provided us with the knowledge to pursue our dreams. This collaboration is a meaningful way for us to reconnect with a community we’ve always felt proud to be part of.
Vitality team
Launching April 12, Purdue x Vitality will feature a variety of Purdue-branded apparel geared toward both women and men. The clothing line features black-and-white sports bras, tank tops, leggings, shorts, T-shirts and long-sleeved shirts in the spirit of Purdue’s classic brand colors. These items will be sold online and in -person at the Purdue Team Store.
Vitality’s success
Sisters Chloe and Taylor didn’t necessarily plan to start a movement when they founded Vitality in 2018 with Taylor’s husband, Steve Dilk.
At the time, the three Purdue graduates weren’t even sure what they wanted their new family business to sell.
“We didn’t know what it would be at first, but we knew we wanted to start one as sisters and as a family,” says Chamberlain (BS organizational leadership ’20), the company’s chief of design.
Initially, they might not have imagined that their new business would develop a cult following on social media or that they would someday show off collections at New York Fashion Week, but that’s exactly what happened. And their rapid success is not simply the product of being in the right place at the right time during the athleisure boom of the past few years.
The company strategically found a niche with its embrace of inclusivity and sustainability, creating stylish and comfortable apparel that flatters all body types — with sizes from XXS to 4XL. Their commitment to fostering community within their customer base has clearly paid off, as Vitality’’s loyal fans eagerly grab new collections the moment they launch online.
The company’s website explains, “We’re a society of mutual support, where doers, the daring, and dreamers can draw from — and give back to — the energy of a purposeful collective.” Industry analysts and insiders have taken note of the company’s success.
Forbes Magazine selected Chloe, Taylor and Steve for its prestigious 2022 30 Under 30 list honoring top young professionals in the North American retail and e-commerce market. In the blurb honoring the three Boilermakers, Forbes marveled at how their company’s sales skyrocketed from zero to $36 million within three years.
Purdue helped us become balanced people. We became communicators, leaders and entrepreneurs with the help of our educations. We want to continue to impact others’ lives and the community we’ve created.
Chloe ChamBerlain (BS Organizational Leadership ’20) Chief Of Design
In 2021, fashion platform Runway 7 invited Vitality to participate in its New York Fashion Week showcase for independent designers and renowned brands. Chloe created the company’s Panorama collection to debut at the prestigious event at New York’s Sony Hall.
The family business that started in their Denver garage with their personal savings has quickly become an incredibly successful story of DIY entrepreneurship. It’s a story rooted in their experiences at Purdue. “Purdue helped us become balanced people,” Chloe says. “We became communicators, leaders and entrepreneurs with the help of our educations. We want to continue to impact others’ lives and the community we’ve created. We always are working to be better versions of ourselves and to find our own balance in work, business and life. We hope others can find the same.”
From Boilermaker beginnings
The sisters grew up in a household that valued fitness. Their mom was a Denver Broncos cheerleader. Their dad was a bodybuilder.
Wanting to follow in their footsteps, Taylor (BS nutrition and dietetics ’15) eventually chose a health-related major.
“Fitness was ingrained into our lifestyle ever since I can remember,” says Taylor, Vitality’s chief executive officer. “Seeing my parents compete in bodybuilding sparked my own passion to pursue that. I enjoyed learning about nutrition and thought, ‘Why not become a dietitian?’”
While in college, she launched a social media channel to inspire others through her own fitness journey, sharing recipes and training clients. She ultimately earned a personal training license, becoming a trainer at Purdue’s France A. Córdova Recreational Sports Center. In time, Taylor and her sister attempted the giant leap of building a health-related style business, by women, for women.
“After we both graduated, I started to become a fitness influencer on Instagram, and knew I had a passion to create some sort of business that could make an impact on countless people,” Taylor says. “Chloe and I saw a gap in the athletics industry for high-quality, reasonably priced athleticwear that would fit all shapes, sizes and backgrounds.”
They evaluated other athleticwear companies and knew they could make the industry more inclusive, so they decided to introduce a workout brand that appealed to all body types.
“We came up with the mission to unite men and women of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds to form a culture of inclusivity and help people find their own balance in life — whatever that may be for them,” Chloe says. That mission is embedded in their brand.
“Evolution is taking intentional steps toward being better every single day,” Steve (BS biochemistry ’15) explains. “Whether it’s a large step or a small step, what matters most is you are moving forward. We know that if we are taking steps every day, collectively as a team, and as long as we are holding each other accountable to take those steps, we are going to evolve. Vitality embodies this evolution and elevation as a brand, and we are in a magnificent position to take everything to the next level.”
Judging by the massive following the family has built for their brand, their message has connected with its intended audience and with the Purdue brand of persistence and innovation, where the sky is the limit from here.
