Yoga Mats Walk The Fashion Plank

Once you do a downward facing dog on these avant-garde beauties from Plank Designs, you’ll throw your solid plain-Jane mat out of the gym window. The co-founders of this edgy company, Doreen Hing and Jennifer McKinley, wanted to create yoga gear with plenty of originality and sass to boot””and they have.

“I wanted some cool photographs on yoga mats,” says Hing, “because most of the mats that were popular were too plain.” So she created a trompe l’oeil by featuring two highly realistic and fun images on her mats: a piece of wood (that complements the brand), and two soft hand imprints on a rug.

“Shag” Mat and “PLANK” mat: $125 each

The “Text” series mats glitter with a crowd of words like “Bling” and “Me” printed on almost every square inch in metallic/pearlised colors. “The lettering is tongue in cheek,” says Hing. The mat with “Me” patterned on it uses silver and platinum dyes , and the “Bling” mat wears gold dyes. “The reason why we created the text series is to remind people that yoga is a way to spend more time on yourself to become centered, grounded and stress-free,” says Hing. “And people who do yoga for their spiritual well-being can afford to eat more chocolate, and that’s how the “Chocolate” mat was born.”

“Bling” mat: $65

Plank makes canvas totes that are finished with chrome hardware and stylish leather trim with room for your yoga mat to be carried outside. They also carry yoga gear made from bamboo fibers for more intense forms of yoga such as Bikram. “The bamboo fibers,” says Hing “create a luxurious feeling and are really lightweight.” They are expensive, but they wick away moisture like a fine hair dryer.

PLANK tote: $245

But the buck does not stop with yoga products. Plank makes accessories to fit into the modern lifestyle, from clutches to cell phone holders. It will be exciting to watch them expand their range of offerings and enrich lives. “We’re eager to expand products to embrace not only the yoga community, but beyond,” says Hing.

Plank Yoga Mat Carrier ($160)

Plank products are available at Fred Segals, Tootsie Ploughound, Design Within Reach (www.dwr.com) and www.plankdesigns.com.