Roxy and Stella Jean Join Forces for Limited-edition Collection – WWD

Roxy has a new muse: Haitian Italian designer Stella Jean. 

The duo have linked up for a limited-edition collaboration, inspired by Roxy’s active lifestyle and the Rome-based designer’s aesthetic, much of which is grounded in nature.  

“Stella is everything a Roxy girl should be,” Stephanie Micci, global head of design at Roxy, told WWD. “She’s got an amazing character; she’s super strong and confident and delightful. And she’s so passionate about everything she does. It just made so much sense to partner with her. She brings such a unique point of view and a different fashion perspective, versus where Roxy would come from if we were just working on a capsule on our own. 

“And Roxy is so much more than the products that we do,” Micci continued, referring to the women’s athletic lifestyle brand created by parent company Quiksilver in 1990. “We always want to learn and grow and really celebrate and empower women in whatever they endeavor to do by identifying individuals, or like-minded brands, or groups of people, who we’d love to collaborate with. And also by working with people who can bring something different to the table.” 

Stella Jean, who founded her nameplate brand in 2011, said she was equally excited to work with Roxy.

“The Roxy brand has always reminded me of the epitome of all things natural,” the designer said. 

“Roxy is a brand that still maintains focus on the human component of the product,” Stella Jean added. 

The 17-piece collection, which launches today, includes swimwear, and accessories splashed in bright colors and eye-catching prints, such as the wings of a butterfly in motion, or a configuration of multiple colors as seen through a kaleidoscope. 

“The prints create movement on a 2D surface,” Micci explained. “Once we put them into garment form, we just really helped bring them to life. From our side and playing from the strength of the things we do, we wanted to celebrate all of those colors and those beautiful prints in a way that had a nod to Roxy’s sportier, active lifestyle. 

“Stella is a like-minded kindred spirit in that respect,” Micci continued. “She’s always had these really fun, engaging, bold prints and colors. You can definitely see the influence she gets from her travels around the world.”

In fact, Stella Jean credits her multicultural roots (her father is Italian and her mother is Haitan) for her interest in fashion. 

“I decided to tell my story through my collection,” she said. “I fused batik-inspired fabrics, which represented my Black-Haitian roots. I know that it may sound paradoxical, but I don’t use fashion with aesthetic purposes. Instead, I employ it as a cultural translator, a tool of counter colonization to be wielded against any and all forms of cultural segregation. Through style, it can reestablish balance between symbols, stories and different worlds. The beauty of fashion knows no borders.” 

As for the Roxy x Stella Jean collaboration, the collection comes in sizes XS to XL and ranges in price from $32 to $250 each piece. Shoppers can purchase the collection at roxy.com, select Roxy stores and stellajean.it, in addition to third-party retailers, such as Nordstrom and BHV in Paris. 

In addition, the collection includes the “Raphia” bag, which was handmade by female artisans in Antananarivo, Madagascar. (Stella became a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador in December 2021.) In addition, many of the pieces throughout the collection are made with recycled materials or sun-protection fabrics.

“One of the things that we really love in Roxy is creating this juxtaposition between things that are feminine and then really capturing the lifestyle of our girl,” Micci said. “Roxy girls are not just sitting on the beach, soaking in the sun. They’re the girls who are in the water, doing some kind of water activity, whether it’s swimming or paddle boarding\ or surfing. She’s always in movement; she’s naturally active. We’re making sure we’re making swimwear that not only looks good, but that stays on you and you feel comfortable actually moving in, to support our girls’ lifestyle and the fact that she’s normally in some kind of constant movement.”

FOR MORE ON ROXY FROM WWD.COM, SEE: 

Designer Cynthia Rowley and Sportswear Brand Roxy Are Planning a Ski and Swimwear Collab

Roxy Appoints Stephanie Micci as First Creative and Design Director for Women’s Surf and Snow

Roxy Looks to Recast Brand in Bid to Broaden Base