Turns out, you can improve upon an already good thing. Hard as it may be for spin-enthusiasts to imagine anything better than spinning, Esther Gauthier struck upon the idea of sinking bikes in four feet of water. At her TriBeca space, AQUA Studio, this means less impact and wear and tear on joints, more effort and a greater workout. The stylish French native and former fashion photographer is cutting a chic swath through the wellness world as more people get turned on to the benefits of a water workout. For Fashion Week, especially, it offers a reprieve, “a way to release stress, get the blood flow going in tired legs after sitting and standing all day and, overall, keeping your wellness in check,” says Gauthier. Sage advice any week of the year.

My style is…
Jane Birkin meets Lauren Hutton.

First fashion memory…
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a fashion designer. At age 10, my best friend and I designed, hand-sewed and modeled an entire collection (including the wedding dress) ourselves.

My wellness routine…
There are a few things I never skip. Lemon water is the first thing I drink in the morning — the most amazing and simplest trick to flush your system. Restorative or basics yoga — I like my classes to be thorough, precise and slow. I love Erin from East Yoga, near my house. I have been practicing yoga since I was 14. Aquacycling two to three times per week gives me the cardio that I need. Intense, efficient and healing all at once. I drink a lot of water every day. I also practice a cardiac coherence meditation technique which consists of five minutes of conscious breathing three times per day. (Five seconds inhale, five seconds exhale for five minutes.) This technique originated in Asia and has been studied and taught by Dr. David O’Hare. It is a simple method that brings your heart frequency to optimal efficiency and provides numerous health benefits. A wonderful preventive care method that everyone, especially in our busy, stressful city lives should practice.

To stay fit when traveling…
Access to healthy food is not always easy when traveling. I always pack a homemade bag of nuts and dried fruits. I try to plan my meals around my flight so I never have to eat on the plane. When I go places, I look for a yoga class nearby so I can continue my yoga practice while I am away. This is how I recently discovered Iyengar Yoga with the amazing instructor Alex at Rasa Yoga Rive Gauche in Paris.

About my fashion photography background…
While still a student in France, I got the great opportunity to spend the summer in New York for an internship at the prestigious photo agency Art Partner, where I met fashion photographer Enrique Badulescu, who offered me a job. I permanently moved to New York in 2006 to become Enrique’s studio manager and editorial producer. The greatest experience and opportunity I could have imagined at age 23. I am so grateful for Enrique’s trust.

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