Sportswear line balances comfort with style

While the economy has its boom and bust cycles, fashion retailers struggle with their own “hot, then not” syndrome. Brands are only as strong as their last collection, and designers often have a brief moment in the spotlight before having to make way for the next design star.

The fragility of the fashion economy leads to a lot of second-guessing about what will appeal to shoppers, but Fighting Eel owners Rona Bennett and Lan Chung make the retail business look easy simply by staying true to a lifestyle in step with their Gen X peers now in their mid-30s to 40s.

When friends were going to clubs, they created sexy dresses. When they settled into jobs, they created respectable dresses. When peers started marrying and having children, they created Baby Eel.

This month Fighting Eel boutiques welcomed Ava Sky FIT, a sportswear line created by Chung after she took up yoga as part of a fitness regimen that includes hiking and jumping on a trampoline.

“I’ve been thinking about this for quite some time. Then, six months ago, I decided to just do it. I was tired of wearing my supertight ‘I can’t breathe’ leggings to yoga. So I made something that was comfortable for me and fun for me to wear. Basically, I made FIT because I wanted fun print leggings to wear to yoga class.”

There is no lack of workout apparel in the market, but Ava Sky FIT is in step with the “athleisure” trend as more people seek out clothing that strikes the magic balance between style and comfort, and frees them from the tyranny of restrictive garments. It’s the same philosophy that drove Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel to look to menswear and jersey fabric to liberate women in the early 1900s from corsets, bustles and hobble skirts.

“I’ve really noticed a lot of women are in workout clothes all the time. They wear it shopping or running errands, and some live only in workout clothes,” said Chung, who created the line with such everyday activities in mind, in fabrics and colors that can be easily mixed and matched with other Ava Sky resort or Fighting Eel basics.

“Some of the prints are current with our regular Ava Sky collection, so you can wear the Bird of Paradise FIT shorts and pair it with a regular Bird of Paradise tank top. Or you can wear one of the FIT tops paired with Ava Sky pants or shorts.”

The line currently comprises six pieces: four tops, a pair of shorts and a pair of pants. Prices range from about $40 for a top to $88 for a pair of pants.

Ava Sky FIT uses fabric that is 90 percent nylon and 10 percent elastane, a Spandex-like fabric, giving it versatility for wearing on land or in the water. “So, shopping and then a dip in the ocean,” Chung said.

Modesty issues were more of a concern than with streetwear, the designer said. “I tested out some things that were important to me. Like, ‘If I do a downward dog, do my panties show?’ or, like, ‘If I run with this, will my boobs pop out?’

“Other brands out there sometimes use these thick, knitted fabrics that hold everything in and suck you up, but seriously, it hurts. Lack of circulation and all the holding in makes it uncomfortable and difficult to breathe after you’ve worn it even for a few minutes. I don’t like that.

“I like the fact that our pants are supercomfy, and that they don’t feel like you’re wearing Spanx is a bonus for me. You can wear these all day and not feel like you’re going to pass out.”

Fighting Eel boutiques are at 1134 Bethel St. downtown, at 629 Kailua Road, in the Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikiki and at Kahala Mall.