Holly Robinson Peete launches a womenswear line for busy, casual moms
An actress, author, fundraiser, wife and mother, Holly Robinson Peete has now added fashion designer to her list of accomplishments.
We caught up with the busy mom and star of the Oprah Winfrey Network reality show “For Peete’s Sake” and talked about fashion during her HollyRod Foundation’s July 16 event at boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard’s home in the Pacific Palisades.
In May, Robinson Peete introduced a new women’s fashion line called HRP by Holly Robinson Peete. The initial items from the collection, which is available through the Eden Prairie, Minn.-based home shopping channel Evine, mostly mix the popular athleisure look with casual daytime styles.
The line includes loose-fitting tops, stretchy knit pants, a knit cardigan, a sleeveless maxi dress, drawstring waist pants and a maxi skirt option in bright and vibrant tones and prints. Prices range from $29 to $59.
Here are five things Robinson Peete had to say about her new fashion line.
‘Carpool couture’
“At first I called the brand ‘carpool couture,’ ” said the mother of four and veteran carpooler. “Sometimes, I’d look down and see I had on a tattered robe and house shoes and then I’d realize I had to go to a school meeting or a business meeting. So that’s what I developed — a look that’s comfortable, fashion forward and elegant enough to wear anywhere.”
‘Manageable’ price points
“I had to make the price points manageable,” Robinson Peete said. “I didn’t want to be embarrassed and have people say, ‘I love your clothes, but I can’t afford them.’ That’s not in line with who I am. Moms should be able to afford fashionable looks.”
On-the-go fashions
Peete said she admires designers such as Michael Costello whose lines radiate couture, red carpet and fantasy, but she saw a need in the marketplace for fashions for women on the go who had no time to think about dressing. (Costello had a runway show of gowns and evening wear during the HollyRod Foundation’s DesignCare Gala this month.)
“Most of the time you find me in my sweats,” Robinson Peete said. “A couple of times I’ve gone to carpool with my clothes inside out.”
‘Hands-on’ design
“I have a nice partnership [with Evine],” said Robinson Peete. “We spent a good amount of time working together, figuring out who I am and looking at the clothes I actually wear. … I didn’t want to be the face of [the label only]. I wanted to get my hands dirty. I dove into this design endeavor with all limbs, and I’m very, very involved, hands-on, soup to nuts.”
What’s next?
After the success of her spring-summer collection, Robinson Peete is planning to launch four fashion collections a year, with her fall line set to debut on Evine in August.
Ellen Olivier is the creator of Society News LA.
