RA Apparel will sell yoga clothes and eventually Bohemian-styled clothing and swimsuits after opening in CityScape later this year, the store’s founder Roman Acevedo said.
The store was supposed to open during the summer and have its grand opening in August, but Acevedo was still working with CityScape on the details. He also said that he did not feel his product was ready, and that he wants to offer organic clothing.
“This industry doesn’t really exist in the Valley. It takes time to train people,” he said.
RED Development, which leases and manages CityScape, was not able to confirm the opening, but Acevedo said he has almost finished finalizing the deal.
Unlike other retail stores, Acevedo said the inside of the store will be unlike any other because “that’s all been done before.”
Although the yoga clothing will already be made, Acevedo said there will be in-store tailors who can make adjustments. When the swimsuits are available, fabrics will hang on the wall and customers will be able to pick the material the suit is made from.
Acevedo said the clothing would be moderately priced. He plans to have a well-fitted shirt cost $16 or, if it’s made of bamboo, $20. Leggings would cost $45.
The clothing is made from Italian fabrics, bamboo and even recycled bottles. The bamboo is refined and spun into a thread. The recycled bottles are turned into nylon and spun with cotton so that it feels like regular cotton and is slightly more durable, Acevedo said.
“We’re all about feeling. If it doesn’t feel good, we’re not putting it on,” he said.
Journalism sophomore Julina Daniels wears yoga clothing every night and often uses yoga to relieve stress at home. However, she said she buys all her yoga clothing from Victoria’s Secret and probably wouldn’t choose the organic clothing unless it looked similar.
“I do like to go green, and I’m sure it’d be popular with people especially if it’s cute,” Daniels said.
Sociology and business senior Brittany Harris doesn’t wear yoga clothing often, but she is going to look into the store because she wants to wear yoga clothing more.
“I like the variety; they’re not sticking to one style,” she said.
The clothing is made by employees who go through several weeks of training in the factory at First and Jackson streets. Around 40 employees have completed the training, and Acevedo said he would make clothing alongside his employees.
Eventually, Acevedo hopes to have 150 employees who can make 200-300 items daily; the average piece of clothing takes about 15 minutes.
When new employees learn to make clothing, they start by making children’s clothing that will be donated to UMOM, an organization that helps out families in need, Acevedo said.
Besides the clothing, Acevedo said he is beginning the process of clearing out “20 years of junk” from the basement of the factory that will hopefully become an underground garden. If everything works according to plan, solar panels on the roof will power special LED lights that simulate sunlight.
Contact the reporter at mlongdon@asu.edu
