MANUFACTURING
Saltwater Luxe; For Beach & Evening
After a decade of designing for some of the biggest surfwear designers, including Billabong and Rip Curl, Christa Bischofberger and Kristy Kalsman started their own brand, Saltwater Luxe, which is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif.
The designers aim to put their own stamp on the surf look. Their brand strives to give a Rodeo Drive edge to beach-town silhouettes.
Some of the label’s sweats have gold drop cords. Hangtags feature gold-wrapped strings. Bischofberger said Saltwater Luxe’s clothes are intended to be worn at the beach and for evening.
“It’s for the girl who wants to look more polished and together,” she said. “It’s for the girl who wants to wear surf clothes and dress them up,” Kalsman added.
Saltwater Luxe was introduced in October. It is making its first trade-show appearance at the February run of Axis in New York, Bischofberger said. It has been sold at boutiques such as Stitch & Feather in Seal Beach, Calif., and Hidden Jewel in Costa Mesa, Calif.
Saltwater Luxe’s clothes are manufactured in Los Angeles County. The designers intended their brand’s pieces to be worn in multiple ways. The line’s beach kimono can be worn open over shorts and a T-shirt or closed like a dress, Kalsman said. Fabrics include French terry, floral prints and recycled cotton yarns.
Wholesale price points range from $30 to $90. “We hope to see other people wearing it. We hope to see it at our dream retailers,” Kalsman said.
For more information, contact sales@saltwaterluxe.com.
