Clubwear

What do we think when we see women playing golf? I know for us, we usually think about those horrible heavy, rough, boxy polos that women are forced into. Unfortunately, those fashion disaster stereotypes were true until one woman decided to change that! Clubwear founder Christine Hilts wanted to change that, letting women feel as strong and powerful as they do when they are swinging their golf clubs! "Most women need to go either to work or an event right after playing golf and Clubwear allows you to simply change from sneakers to heels, and you're on your way! Whether brunching with the ladies, that important work meeting, or even a night out after golfing, this is the line for you. Hilts tells us in detail how she started the concept of the line, how she implemented her idea, and where you could find your very own outfit today!

Big City: Tell us how you started the brand?

Christine: Well it began on the golf courses where I was a club girl for a very long time and I also came from a showgirl/theatre background. I'm looking out at the golf course and I'm thinking how unattractive and boxy all the clothing is, how unflattering they are to woman. I thought about my theatre background and how the costume designer would work with everybody's body type, putting girls in similar but not identical costumes, within the lines of each individual body. There is no reason why an athletic body type should have to feel boxy.

When I took the game of golf, I realized that its also a long game. You're on the pitch for several hours and then you have to head over to your next place. I was thinking about how busy I was and the women I was playing with were even busier. They were professional women who had to run to their next meeting and it would be nice to take these clothes somewhere else, not just the golf court. It hit me when I was hitting nine holes with my husband John and then went straight to the Ritz Carlton for lunch. I was wearing somebody else's golf clothes- who shall remain nameless- and I felt horrible! All these classy ladies are beautiful and I'm thinking I don't fit in and I can't stand it and that is the moment I realized I wanted to make elegant clothing that hang and look fabulous.

Big City: We were at your NYFW show and we saw cute tennis outfits to, would you say these outfits can be used for tennis as well?

Clubwear: Yes, anything that has clean lines, is able to move with you, definitely can use it for golf and tennis and our dresses lend itself to that.

Big City: At your show, we saw a lot of black and white, do you plan to use more color moving forward?

Clubwear: We had a lot of black but we also use a lot of silver and gold, with different tones of silver and gold, where a lady can fit into a steakhouse or a jazz club, where these colors work.

Big City: What makes Club Wear different from LuluLemon or a competitor?

Clubwear: I have to say that I do love Lulu Lemon and I do support it but their clothing is different then ours. You won't see LuluLemon at a Ritz Carlton lunch. You can also see Club Wear at any place that you can dress it up. That's why we have our slogan "With a change of a shoe, you can go from the golf club to the night club."

Big City: Where has Club Wear resonated the most so far?

Clubwear: Well, we've done both LA Fashion Week and NY Fashion Week and we're up in northern Nevada and its resonated with everybody so far. Its amazing to hear the response from women who weren't even golfers saying they would learn as long as they didn't have to get into those terrible golf clothing and thank you for changing my idea on that!

Big City: We heard that you are in select Equinox stores, tell us where else can you find Clubwear?

Clubwear: Well, we're going to have an online presence, primarily we are hitting pro shops as well. We want to expand everywhere! High-end resorts, we met a lot of people from Dubai and China who both said that we need to come there. When you ask what separates us from others is that I'm actually a golfer, I love to do it, and I wanted to build a product and a clothing line that moves in and move you!

Big City: Are there any celebrities that are currently wearing Clubwear?

Clubwear: Not right now, but we are in talks with some of the major golf and tennis stars but we can't name names just yet!