In 2006, Gail Reisman delved into the world of designing workout clothes, with her active wear line RESE. A busy working mother who loves staying active, she realized the need for workout clothes that combine fashion and function. RESE makes all types of work out clothing with this in mind and is designed for women of all ages and body types. Reisman’s business mantra stresses the importance of feeling good about yourself and your body and staying active (and stylish!) no matter your shape, age, or ability.
To enter to win a piece of stylish and comfortable workout gear from RESE Activewear:
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Why did you decide to start RESE?
I’ve always been in the fashion business, and the reason I started my company was that I work out and play a lot of sports and noticed when my kids were four that I’d be in my workout clothes all day long. Maybe I’d work out, do some shopping, and pick them up from school and it would be six o’clock, and I’d still be in my work out clothes! The workout clothes were not very flattering. This was 2006, and most of the clothes were very boxy. They didn’t fit a woman’s body very well. I saw a change in when women wore their workout clothes, like just to be comfortable or with friends during the day as well as working out. So I wanted clothes that were functional as well fashionable that you could work out in and hang out in.
What is your background in clothing design?
Originally I worked for Macy’s New York and I was a buyer there. Then I moved out to California and I worked for (it’s no longer a business) Broadway. They were a big store and had 40 different branches. Macy’s was in New York and Broadway was in California so between both of those experiences I really got a chance to see clothes all over the country, buy from a lot of people, and understand how to determine what people want no matter where they live. [I realized] how similar people are. If there’s a need in New York then generally there’s a need in California and there’s a need in Ohio. People kind of want the same thing.
How would you describe the goal of RESE?
I would say it’s kind of the intersection where function meets fashion.
Where do you look for inspiration for your designs?
A lot of different places! A lot of it is my own personal life, in terms of what I feel is missing, in conjunction with what’s going on in fashion. I take a lot of inspiration from apparel. For example when I first started, most of the pants were flared, and I noticed that in my wardrobe I was really wearing more straight-legged jeans. I thought, “Wow I would really like more of a legging type of workout pants,” which sounds like common sense but at the time none of the lines really had that. I put that on the line and it’s become a very big seller. So I think it’s a combination for me. I derive a lot of my inspiration from fashion (be it a certain neck line or a certain detail), and I’ll think that would be really nice to incorporate in my workout clothes.
What’s your favorite part about designing active wear?
I would say that it’s the feedback from the customers. I love when people email me and tell me that they loved a pair of pants they bought. Sometimes I meet people who tell me wearing RESE and feeling stylish while working out is motivational and helps them get active. Stuff like that is really wonderful. [Like] when I’m out on the street and I see people wearing my workout wear. It’s that feedback from the customers.
Where do you see RESE going in the future?
I feel that fashion is always evolving. I try to incorporate different sports to offer women choices. While I think that a lot of things you can wear for any sport (for example I’ll wear a pair of pants whether I’m hiking, spinning, or taking yoga), other things are more specific to a sport. I think, oh it’d be great to have a certain type of top. So I’d say the future is to continue to evolve and to offer choices to women in different activities that are still fashionable. I’m also creating more styles that have to do with lifestyle. So maybe one customer after finishing working out she wants to wear a sweatshirt or easy drawstring pants or a really great top. I’m trying to incorporate some of the pieces I have on my line for this fall, like maybe taking a comfortable fabric like fleece and thinking how I can make it more fashionable while still being comfortable and cozy.
What do you think is the most important elements of sportswear?
That’s a hard question. I think it has to fit your lifestyle. You have to feel good in it. We all have the pieces in our wardrobe that we always go to. I think that’s because those are the pieces you feel good when you wear. I think that is key.
If you could only work out in 1 thing from Rese, what would it be and why?
Of course it changes all of the time, but right now I would probably say that it would be my three quarter leggings. I wear them for so many different things. I wear them for sports when I work out and I can layer it. I can wear a tunic with them. I can travel in them. They’re comfortable! So I would say that that is probably something that I couldn’t live without.
What is your favorite way to stay active?
It’s a combination of things, and it changes because I think the hardest thing is boredom. You have to keep engaged because if you get bored then you stop staying in shape. For example, I like playing tennis because you stay in shape but it’s also a communal type of sport where you’re doing it with people. You get better at it all the time. You’re outside. You’re getting fresh air. And it really engages your mind. You have to be present. A lot of times when you do sports you can kind of just phase out. But at the same time I love yoga, which is almost the opposite of that. I love the serenity, and I feel really strong from it yet I also feel very relaxed. It has a nice balance to it.
Favorite pre or post-workout snack or beverage?
Obviously I like to drink a lot of water. Lately I have really gotten into a lot of the green juices. That’s very available in California. I love to drink kale, cucumber, celery, spinach, ginger, or lemon juice all mixed it up. That’s all great. But I also think it’s important to eat protein [before or] after you work out.
What advice do you have for college kids trying to stay active?
I would say that you can grab whatever time you have. You don’t have to take an hour to work out. Even to take a ten-minute break from your studies to get outside and go for a walk would be good. Take the stairs. You can do interval training and just to a ten or fifteen minute run. I think there’s a misconception that we don’t have enough time to exercise. Even if we just take a small amount of time, it just clears your head.