Cynthia Rowley has been making rash guards and wet suits for some time now, but she took the concept to a whole new level for Resort, adding workout-wear to the mix. "It s functional fitness gear," said the designer of the new range, which is fashioned out of a bonded fabric, developed in-house, that feels lighter and more luxurious than neoprene.
Rowley s hope is that her customer will wear these sporty separates—floral leggings with a hidden back pouch for your keys, a printed rash guard piped with silver, a wet suit printed with racing stripes—for surfing, running, or SoulCycling, and then pair them with real clothes on other occasions. For the lookbook, which was shot in a gym, Rowley styled the activewear with pretty, embellished pieces. A fitted dress, for instance, was worn over a rash guard. A digital-print floral sweatshirt and matching leggings were paired with a feather skirt. White flares went with a floral rash guard that was topped off with an embellished vest. Rowley even designed little 1-pound wrist weights that looked like chunky leather bracelets. There was something of the 1970s about it all, but the high-tech ideas buffered the retro leanings.
Lots of designers are currently attempting to turn activewear into fashion. But Rowley, with her metallic racing-stripe leggings and floral sneakers, may be at the forefront. "All the lines are blurred," she said. And if this collection was meant to help blur them even further, she s on the right path.
