Image courtesy Rhody Lane
MANY OF THE BEST IDEAS ARE BORN OUT OF NECESSITY, AND THAT’S HOW SEATTLEITE ROSE ANDERSON DECIDED SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE ABOUT THE ROBE AS WE KNOW IT. Unreliable belts, bulky fits, and a “wouldn’t-be-caught-dead-in-public” look were the majority of the problems Anderson heard about when she polled friends. And so, in August 2016, a company was born. Inspired by the rhododendrons lining the driveway of her home, she named it Rhody Lane.
Anderson, a newbie to the fashion industry, felt strongly that her first piece, the Rhody Lounger, be made in Seattle. Unraveling the intricacies of manufacturing is no easy feat for a non-veteran fashion person since supply chains are often guarded as industry secrets, but Anderson was dogged and found a family-run factory in Seattle’s SODO neighborhood. And when that factory closed in November 2016, she found another one further south. “I will always manufacture in Seattle as long as there are factories here,” says Anderson.
The Rhody Lounger is meant to solve the fit and fashion problem of most robes—and, as lounge lizards ourselves, we must admit that a garment you can feasibly wear into a coffee shop has its appeal. “I get texts, emails, and comments on Instagram every morning from women saying, ‘I’m so glad I have this, I’ve been working from home all day in it.’ People have enjoyed it more than I think I even anticipated,” says Anderson.
The next piece to be released, due to popular demand, will be a short version of the Rhody Lounger.
Talk about the ultimate Thanksgiving weekend uniform…