Roxy Athletix
The Roxy girl has always been an active one, but now the girls’ surf brand, owned by Huntington Beach, Calif.–based surf giant Quiksilver, is hoping she’s also a bit of a gym rat.
Launching for Summer 2009, the brand’s new activewear line, Roxy Athletix, is a major play for a slightly older gym-going demographic. “The concept of the line is to get college-age girls [and older] into the fitness world. We’re combining functional gym clothes with more fashion-forward design and tons of color and prints,” said Holly Dorrell, Roxy Athletix’s senior designer.
Gym clothes, Dorrell said, haven’t proven to be particularly fashion-forward or versatile. “There’s no color, no great prints.” Roxy Athletix wants to be “highly functional and stylish,” she said. “You can leave the gym or your yoga class wearing it and feel good about it.”
The 24-style collection is heavy on layering pieces and includes sports bras, cropped hoodies, workout pants with low-rise and high-waist options, fold-over waist bands, and elongated tank tops. All styles are cut from performance fabrics that wick moisture away from the skin, and some styles feature specialty treatments such as antimicrobial properties, wind/rain-resistant coatings, UV-ray protection and bonded seams that are less abrasive to the skin. Sweat-proof “media pockets” keep iPods safely tucked away.
Athletix, which will ship four collections each year for a total of eight deliveries, takes its design cues from the prints, colors and graphics used in Roxy’s other collections. That helps it merchandize well with Roxy’s other offerings, which include swimwear, sportswear, footwear, accessories, and technical garments for surfing and snowboarding.Sold in Roxy’s own bricks-and-mortar stores and on its online store, Athletix also debuts with a presence in sporting-goods specialty stores. Wholesale prices for the line range from $16 to $38. —Erin Barajas
