Meet the Team

Here at East of Eden we try to promote a local community environment and are always looking for ways to improve, developing and help. Because of this our staff pride themselves on being friendly and approachable to ensure that you have the best possible experience with every visit.

  • Abby McLachlan is the founder of East of Eden and has lived in Walthamstow since 2011. Before opening the studios, she’d been in the music/media industries for 15+ years. When she became unexpectedly pregnant, that career was no longer viable long term, not as a completely solo parent, and she started to dream of opening her own yoga and arts space in Walthamstow and naming it after her favourite book, East of Eden by John Steinbeck. In 2014, she met a yoga teacher called Naomi Costantino who was up for giving it a go, and the first one-room mat studio opened in Hatherley Mews in 2015. After crowdfunding on Seedrs in Autumn 2015, they took a neighbouring studio and opened a bigger mat studio plus reformer Pilates in 2016. Naomi left that year, then in 2019, after 2 years of negotiating, Abby signed a new lease with Waltham Forest Council in October 2019 to add better facilities, a cafe and new studios downstairs. Despite a build riddled with difficulties, finally in March 2020 everything was finished, and life looked good, except for the news about a new virus called Covid-19 circulating round Europe. A week after the grand opening, the brand new studios closed as it became clear a national lockdown was coming, and everything shifted online. The studios managed to fully reopen, and then in July 2022, expanded to open a new reformer Pilates studio plus a barre and hot yoga space. A year on, the next expansion will add spin and better therapy rooms, to open Jan 2024. Abby gives thanks always to the community of staff, teachers and students who make East of Eden what it is.

  • Shell is the other half of the studio management team here at the studio and primarily looks after the digital spaces, events & marketing. However, you may sometimes find her pottering around the studio, power tool in hand, making sure that the place is looking its best. Outside of the studio she is a musician and song writing and owns a (music) studio of her own in Hackney Wick.

    “I moved to from Liverpool to London in 2017 and started working at the studio in 2019 when we were just a desk in a door way. The studio was a safe haven for me amongst the London madness and has been ever since. Its a place for me to flex my creative side in a working environment which is rare!”

  • Cristina Isopescu has a diverse background that spans across different countries and cultures. Originally from Ukraine and also half Romanian. During her teenage years, she had the incredible opportunity to live in Italy and attend school there, which allowed her to become quite fluent in several languages.

    “One of my greatest passions in life is music and dancing.

    In 2016, I made the decision to move to London, seeking new experiences and opportunities. I initially worked in the hospitality industry for a few years until I discovered East of Eden, a place that resonated with my love for movement and wellbeing. I am currently serving as the cafe manager at this wonderful studio.

    Being part of the East of Eden team fills me with immense pride. I am surrounded by incredibly talented and compassionate individuals, and working here feels like being part of a big, supportive family. It brings me joy to create a warm and welcoming environment for our members, making their experience at the studio enjoyable and memorable.”

  • Pix is the operational manager of East of Eden, working behind the scenes to try and keep things running smoothly as possible (!). She started working here on front of house as a karma yogi seven years ago in trade for some lovely soulful vinyasa flows, and has been working at the studio in some capacity ever since.

    “Formerly trained up as a cancer scientist, I have used yoga as a tool for coping with stress, keeping my mental health in check and my body happy, since my undergrad days. Its a complete honour and privilege for me to be helping to manage a yoga studio, which has helped me through some very stressful, challenging times in my life. My favourite thing about the studio is the warm and lovely community it brings me into contact with everyday. I hope everyone else that comes to the studio can share in that warmth and love fest as well”

  • Our friendly front of house staff are on hand to help with all of your needs. Please note that during busy periods we may not be able to answer the phone but we will always pick up emails as soon as we possibly can.