Austin Way Magazine - GreenGale Publishing - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/715608
PhotograPhy by hattie Watson Pieces from Being Apparel's fall collection, such as this oversized T-shirt dress with a dropped- shoulder and slim-fitting sleeve, go beyond basic athleisure wear. Designer anD austin transplant shonagh speirs' new line, Being AppArel, combines fluiDity anD soft tailoring. By ChristinA Clemente ElEvatEd Athleisure Imagine going to work, fitting in a yoga class, and then grabbing a cocktail with a friend—all with a minimal costume change. That's the idea behind Being Apparel, an elevated new athleisure line by Scottish designer Shonagh Speirs, who moved to Austin last September. "I wanted to be able to wear my activewear all day and layer up, so I didn't have to carry around hundreds of bags of clothing to change," says Speirs, who has been in the industry for over 10 years, working for such fashion houses as Roland Mouret (a Kate Middleton favorite) and Preen. Behind the Austin-based label—available online and, this fall, at local retailers Hoiden Supply Co. and Dylan Wylde—is the idea of an "everyday uniform," or simplified three-layer style: high- waisted leggings and strappy bra tops, jersey dresses and culottes, plus collarless coats and trousers—in other words, pieces that busy modern women can sport to work, Pilates, and social outings alike. "A lot of the [athlei- sure] brands out there are fairly sports-inspired," she says, "and I wanted to offer a more polished aesthetic." And Speirs could not have found a better new home in Austin. "It's a very healthy and well-being- conscious city," says Speirs. "You just need to go down to [Lady Bird] Lake any hour of the day, and people are jogging, doing yoga, cycling. They take their health very seriously here, which I really respect." beingapparel.com . 78 AUSTINWAY.com style collection