We all know exercising in the middle of January is tough. (It’s just. so. cold.) We can use all the help we can get to move our butts off the couch (and our eyes away from those hours-long Netflix binges). Our favorite solution to the winter workout blues? Cute activewear! And the latest celeb giving us gym motivation (and Cali-girl style envy) is TV host Dayna Devon. She went through all the blood, sweat and tears it takes to launch her own line (no endorsement deal here, folks) and we have the exclusive first look of the new collection, Dayna Devon.
Christine Chang; Inset: David Livingston/Getty
When the former Extra host noticed too much redundancy in the fitness apparel market, she wasn’t about to sport pieces that didn’t represent her personal style. Instead, she did what any good fashionista would, and began experimenting.
“I started cutting up my own T-shirts and mixing non-workout wear with traditional workout wear to get new looks — and I started getting a lot of compliments,” says Devon. “People would stop me on the street and ask me about my faux leather trimmed leggings, a vintage T-shirt or the leopard capris I was wearing, and it got me thinking, ‘Hmmm, maybe I’m on to something here.’”
To make sure her designs were cute but also functional (the most important factor, of course), she spent weeks hunting down high-quality fabrics that could withstand workout wear and tear.
“I dyed and re-dyed fabrics until they looked rich, yet also sun-drenched and soft,” she tells PEOPLE. “I drove all around seeking the perfect custom zippers and trim.”
Christine Chang; Inset: David Livingston/Getty
The collection features slouchy sweaters, bold-printed capris (we’re talking floral, leopard and snake skin), mesh short shorts and graphic tanks that give off an effortlessly laid-back, West Coast vibe.
Devon says she gets major compliments wearing “It’s a Cinch” capris and predicts the “Too Mesh” bomber jacket will be a spring wardrobe favorite: “It’s so cute over workout clothes or jeans,” she says.
The star says her main goal (besides creating super-functional, practical pieces) was making the line accessible to everyone. “I knew a lot of people were frustrated by the lack of sizing available in most fitness lines,” says Devon. “So I decided to make sure that I had extended sizing from zero to 16 to fit more women.”
She’s joining a packed market of stars with their own fitness lines (check them all out here!) but Devon stresses that this is more than just a fun project for her: It’s a full-time job. “This is not a line where someone else did all the work for me — I did everything,” she says “I am a woman making clothes for women and I wanted things to be perfect!”
What do you think of Dayna’s new fitness line? Do you usually buy celebrity activewear labels? Share your thoughts below.
–Colleen Kratofil
