When we started developing our new men's and women's Shoreline tops, we knew that there were a few things that we were going to bring to the table. We wanted the pieces to be designed using our butter soft bamboo fabrics, be inspired by the ocean, and bring to life a nautical color story.

To learn a little bit more about the process behind these two new products, I sat down with McKenzie, one of our designers, to learn about a few of the steps that go into creating a new style. 

 

 

Step One: Identify a New Style

McKenzie: The first step generally is to identify a new style. We're often listening to customer feedback and identifying gaps in the line to help inform what we bring on next. Last spring, we launched micro-stripes in our Dockside dress and Channel Pocket tees. This fall, we knew that we really wanted to bring the stripes into the collection with the same coastal vibe, but a different inspirational twist that drew from the fall season. So we began the next steps of developing the new Shorelines.  

 

 

Step Two: Brainstorm Naming, Colors, and Find Inspiration

McKenzie: Once we've identified a new style, then we move into the color and other sources of inspo phases. I often will look at locations and think about the activities where our new product performs best. In this case it was a brisk morning walk down the beach, an afternoon bike ride through town, or even at work. This step also helps with naming and color choices, hence the name for the Shoreline.

Another thing that I always consider is our "Free Fly spin" on color choices. For example:

If we want a warm color, we're not just going to pull a fire engine red — we're going to find the color that makes sense for our brand, and that's where Light Sangria came from. 

 

Step Three: Details, Details, Details, and... Fit

McKenzie: Now it's all about fit and details. Logo placement, perfected fit, wear testing (yes, taking it out to the beach and wearing it out on the weekend - one of my favorite parts of the job), and more. Sometimes this could take multiple rounds of refining and perfecting. 

Pro Tip from the Pro: 

Pair the Shoreline with jeans and boots for a one-and-done fall outfit. We'll see you out there.