By Tyler Martin
Have you ever seen a printed, colorful wetsuit and thought, “That’s the cutest swimwear I’ve ever seen?” Chances are, it was a Cynthia Rowley creation. Cynthia Rowley is an absolute fashion visionary from Chicago who has built an international career turning her bold ideas into reality. After winning a fellowship from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, she moved to New York City and launched her namesake brand, which is loved around the world for its adventurous spirit. You may have seen Cynthia Rowley’s collaborations with major retailers such as Target, watched her mentoring designers on reality TV, or discovered her via her influencer daughter, Kit Keenan. With everything she does, Cynthia Rowley continues to push the boundaries in the fashion realm with her elegant, playful – and through her ski and surf collections, sporty – approach to style. On Tuesday, Cynthia Rowley stopped by SMU on her way to an exclusive pop-up event to share insight and offer advice to students interested in diving headfirst into the fashion industry. I had an exclusive opportunity to meet with her after the campus event, and here’s what we discussed:
TM: What’s it like having a daughter, Kit Keenan, in social media? Is there ever any cross-collaboration between you two business-wise?
CR: Definitely, we work together on things -– we’re very compatible. But she has her very own, very independent business. She has an agent, a manager and big partners such as Nike and Skims. Now, she’s incorporating cooking and has a cookbook coming out next year. She’s very much her own person.
TM: What drew you to hosting your pop-up event in Dallas? What are your thoughts on the Dallas fashion scene?
CR: I would die to have a store here – it would go gangbusters! We do these trunk shows, and they are our biggest shows in the whole country. Dallas women really get our stuff. Dallas is our number two market for direct traffic on our website.
TM: What piece of advice would you give to a college grad looking to move to New York and start in the fashion industry?
CR: I mean, I’m living proof, and you are, too, growing up in a small town in Illinois. I thought, “How am I ever going to do this?” And you just do it. I definitely think you can get an internship. I would say 60% of my staff were interns. We hire them, and they’re great. It’s the best thing because we get to know you and love you, and you get to know us. It’s a really great way to get exposed to the industry and hopefully transition into a full-time role in your career.
TM: Do you think graduating from the School of the Art Institute with a Bachelor of Arts contributed to your success and deeper knowledge of the fashion industry?
CR: Yes. I always drew and was always putting things down on paper. It went from an emotional conceptual idea to just trying to communicate exactly what I wanted to make. I think that’s a really important skill because no matter what you want to create—whether it’s furniture, bedding, or beauty—you have to be able to really articulate what you want it to look like. Otherwise, you’re referencing something that maybe already exists, which isn’t really outside of the box.
TM: You’ve been a judge on multiple fashion-based reality TV shows. Was that an ultimate pinch-me moment for you? Can you tell me what that world is like?
CR: I’ve been on all those shows, including late-night shows. I’ve done all of those reality shows, and I never get nervous—I really could care less.
Except for one thing: when I had one line to say in Gossip Girl, I couldn’t deliver the line because it was scripted. Blake Lively had to pull me aside and basically give me an acting lesson. After she coached me, I went back and nailed it.
The only other sort of terrifying TV experience was when my agent called and asked, “Do you want to be on Jeopardy?” All I heard was “game show.” I thought it would be fun, similar to Wheel of Fortune, but when it hit me, it was all of the knowledge in the world you’re supposed to know, and I was terrified. You play for a charity, and they don’t tell you who you’re playing against, and they were the two most brilliant people I’ve ever met. I thought, “I’m clearly the fluff here,” but I won a lot of money for my charity, the Public Art Fund.
When it comes to reality shows, I don’t really like to judge people. I didn’t want to say anything negative because it’s so subjective, you know? But the first time I met Christian Siriano, I asked him, “Did I vote you off or did I vote against you on the show?” He said, “No, no, you were super nice.” I said, “Okay, good. Let’s be friends.” Nobody wants to be criticized, and I think everyone has something redeeming and positive.
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Cover artwork by Staff Member Athena Mamatas
