You know what? Designing shorts is crazy. Let’s just start with the body area in question. Here you have this torso trunk that bifurcates into to identical limbs, topped off with a pair of big fleshy muscles in the back – all which join and pivot and are essential to every major movement you make. I won’t even go into the girl parts, which in running, as you know, are kind of along for the ride.
All to say, creating a performance garment for your core is a tall order. It was this challenge (to create great running shorts that didn’t poof) upon which Oiselle was founded. In the following years, we came up with some great answers: The Roga, The Distance, The Stride, The Flyte. I’m proud to say that I think our shorts, including the fit, fabric, detailing, are the best in the industry.
Then one day Sarah “Mac” Robinson (my fashion muse and marketing maven for Oiselle) turned to me, with her sly eye and said, “I wouldn’t mind a Roga that was…you know…” [insert knowing look] “…a little smaller.”
And so it began. The development of a less is more Roga that would satisfy the comfort and leggy style of this 1:18 half marathoner. And like everything we design, it went through many, many rounds of fit and wear tests. The goal was to take what we loved about the Roga (skims the body but never tight) but in a shorter version (leg enhancing, plus hey, fewer tan lines!) for a style that had the attitude of a traditional running short but the soul of a svelte boy or booty short. What we said is (as we often do about these body-conscious designs) “the fit has to be AMAZING.”
So how is the fit on the Mac Roga? Many have weighed in (“Wow, it seemed short at first, but then it just seems normal,” Said the Little Wing gals during spring training). This was great feedback. But there was one person I wanted to hear from most. When I asked her, I was relieved to see the signature knowing look…plus one word: “perfection.” Thank you Mac. In the life of a designer, approval from your muse goes a long, long way.
