Too Much? Or Exactly What Was Missing

One year into building Ladina Yoga, I was preparing to launch my very first collection of yoga mats.

It should have felt exciting. Instead, I found myself sitting with comments about the Courbe D'Energy mat that made me question everything.

“You have to make a mat that sells.”
“There are too many colours.”
“Yoga mats are supposed to be calming.”

Some of these words came from people close to me. Which, if we’re honest, makes them land a little deeper. And for a moment, I let it get to me.

Because doubt is persuasive. It dresses itself up as logic. As protection. As “just being realistic.”

But underneath all of that, I knew something didn’t feel right.

The mat that didn’t fit the rules

The Courbe D’Energy mat was different from the start.

When I briefed the artist, Jessi, I didn’t ask for something “safe” or “sellable.” I asked for expression. For freedom. For something that felt alive.

The intention was simple: Nature. Joy. Emotion. And somehow… it became the most questioned design of them all.

Which is fascinating when you think about it. Because yoga at its core, is about union. About truth. About coming back to yourself.

And yet, somewhere along the way, we decided it should look a certain way. Calm. Neutral. Palatable. Preferably beige.

A coffee in Madagascar

A few weeks before the launch, I was in Madagascar and met Jessi for coffee.

I wanted to understand the story behind the design, in his own words. He told me about discovering painting at 13, following in his grandfather’s footsteps. About meditating before he paints. About being inspired by light and everyday life.

And then he said something that stayed with me: he creates with the intention of helping people overcome fear, express themselves freely, and remember that life is beautiful.

The moment it clicked

That’s when everything shifted. This wasn’t “too much.” It was honest.

It was expressive. Alive. Unapologetic.

And maybe the discomfort around it wasn’t about the mat…but about how unfamiliar it felt to see something that didn’t try to fit in.

What happened next

After the launch, the feedback started coming in.

People weren’t distracted by the colours. They felt supported by the mat. Grounded. Inspired. They spoke about the grip. The comfort. The bright colours. But also about how it made them feel.

And just like that, the narrative changed.

A quiet realisation

Not everyone will understand your expression. Some people will question it. Some will try to reshape it into something more acceptable.

But the right people will recognise themselves in it.

Beyond the mat

The Courbe D’Energy mat was never just a product. It became a reminder. That you’re allowed to take up space. To be seen. To be bold. To choose colour when the world tells you to be neutral.

On your mat, and in your life.

Shop the Courbe D'Energy yoga mat here. We plant one mangrove tree in Madagascar for every mat sold.