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.
