Roxy Wetsuits: Using Fashion & Function to Make Waves
Lauren Collison March 22nd, 2018 Posted In: Articles Tags: Surfing
BTS with the Roxy Wetsuits Design Team
With the latest wetsuit season in full swing, we’re bringing you an exclusive behind the scenes interview with Jorge Imbert, the Global Head of Quiksilver & Roxy Tech Division. From finding out what/who inspires the designs and colors to what’s on the horizon for Roxy Wetsuits, we’ve got all the details of this fashion-forward and women-centered wetsuit brand!
Jorge Imbert
What does the design process of Roxy wetsuits entail?
Our design team keeps their ear to the ground and works hard to fulfill the needs of our customer base. They work with team riders, staff, online respondents, and the social community to hear what our Roxy girl needs from our products in order to maximize their fun, style and performance in the water.
We keep many factors in mind when designing Roxy wetsuits:
- Practicality – Who is using it, and what does she need it to do.
- Trends – Color, fit, cut – it’s got to look good and perform great!
- Price – Combine the fashion and technology expected from Roxy, but at an attainable price. We research, listen, design and discuss – constantly. All to get our girl a wetsuit designed for a woman’s needs in the water.
Are the Roxy athletes involved with design and feedback?
Absolutely. Each team rider from the youngest grom, to world champions like Stephanie Gilmore and Kelia Moniz – all have input. They are very vocal! Both style and performance are equally important to them. The fit for comfort needs to be spot on, or else we hear about it. We try new materials, new fits, propose new colors and graphics and test first and foremost with our girls. That feedback from our team is taken on-board to make the end product perfect. Our athletes represent the essential Roxy product – top performance that makes you feel and look great.
Who creates the patterns and colors?
Our specialist wetsuit team works alongside the Roxy designers to collaborate on products that are both fashionable and functional. The initial brief for color comes from the Roxy design teams seasonal trend palette that compliments the rest of the swim, sportswear, fitness and even snow range. That overarching design directive is then adapted for the wetsuit collection.
Roxy rider, Monyca Eleogram, putting a fullsuit to test.
What goes into that process?
A color palette is selected for the season, based on seasonal inspiration that influences the greater Roxy collection. We then work on how this color assortment will best work in with the panels of a wetsuit and then apply these colors into the range. Our Global team comes together from all regions of the world to collaboratively decide upon the top colors and prints and consult with our riders. The collaboration of the athletes, retailers, regional teams and management are all used to develop the range sent to stores all across the globe.
Where do they look for inspiration?
Everywhere from the beach to the street. High-fashion, street wear, and of course, the girls in the water. We set a theme for the upcoming collection (next season we are taking inspiration from Japan), and so we fully immerse our design team in the whole kaleidoscope of inspiration from the region. We then take our favorites, blend these together and create an all-new, unique range with a seasonal theme.
How far in advance do designs start taking place for a product?
Wetsuits can take a very long time to plan and produce. From concept to shop floor, it can take roughly 18 months. Roxy works very hard on bringing products to market that have market-leading colors, features, linings and fit. We prepare many prototypes of each product and these are tested worldwide by selected test groups and team riders focusing on durability, quality, fit and function. This process takes time but is crucial to supply only top-quality product for our customers. Even once we have decided on material, linings, trims (like zips and logos), color and cut – we then need to produce and transport the product from where we make them to your local shop.
What’s on the horizon for Roxy wetsuits?
Every season, we bring the most technical, yet most flattering range of wetsuits to the market. From short onesies that she can wear in the tropical waters of the Maldives, to hooded 5mm fullsuits that she needs to simply survive in the frigid waters of Northern Europe. Each season we provide a line that caters to the most core performer, to the fashionista in the water. All with a balance of style and technology.
Key capsules such as our ROXY POP Surf collection allow us to push the envelope in style and tech – offering disruptive cuts, graphic and the latest in technology. Starting Spring 2019, this capsule will be created by Eco-friendly processes and materials. It’s a collection sure to turn heads – in and out of the water. The horizon is stacked with long lines of beautiful, functional and flattering products for the Roxy girl.
What goes into the special sizing patterns for the Roxy women’s wetsuit line?
We fine tune our wetsuit sizing every year by making minor tweaks to ensure it remains perfect. We have a range of fit models that we use, as well as team riders who test the suits and provide endless feedback on the fit of each part of every wetsuit. With the amazing progress made in materials, such as our super flexible F’N LITE Neoprene, it is critical to revisit sizing every year to ensure we remain a perfect fit.
The Roxy girls wearing the Spring 2018 POP Surf collection.
What goes into marketing the wetsuit line each season?
We try to educate the consumer of both the fashion and function of our wetsuit line. Both are equally important to the Roxy girl. A wetsuit often is a higher price point item. It’s important to educate the consumer on all the technology put into ensure their comfort in the water. Even though the suits look amazing with the latest colors, graphics and cuts, we still remember that the prime function of a wetsuit is for warmth. We highlight a great looking wetsuit, while also calling out the materials and linings that we use. We use highly technical Infra-Red Thermal Neoprene – which is an extremely efficient insulator.
Since 1990, Roxy wetsuits is an exclusively female action sports brand and we continually seek to create both fashion and function focused products that empower women to make waves and move mountains.
