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 So earlier this year she set out to change the way women take to the course. GGblue, one of many women’s golf lines to hit the market in recent years, started with drawings on a cocktail napkin a few years ago. Varrelmann, who spent 10 years of her professional life in Southern California, was vacationing with her husband in Mexico and was frustrated with the slim choice of women’s clothing sold in golf shops. More than dozens of drawings later, GGblue teamed up with San Francisco clothing designer Iliana Ricketts and developed a golf and resort line. “This is a very neglected market even though there are a lot of golf lines,” said Ricketts, who brought 15 years of experience to the sportswear table and shares Varrelmann’s passion for women’s golf apparel. “GGblue found a need for a higher-end design and they have the customer figured out.” Sales have doubled since GGblue unveiled its 60-piece golf and boutique collections at the PGA show in Orlando in January. Women love the flattering designs, which Varrelmann describes as an “islands resort line.” It’s easy to see why the response has been positive. The colors are bright and cheery, and the patterns — stripes, swirls and waves — are fashionable and sophisticated. The palette, which includes lemon yellow, emerald and lime greens and raspberry and bright pinks, makes the collection easy to mix and match. The golf line also includes coordinating fabric hats and bags, while the resort line features the flowing, low-back halter Lola Dress ($240) and Hoodie jackets ($98). Just think, a few pieces and you have several outfits for a trip. “This is a blockbuster fashion collection for women,” said Karen Cantrell, owner of Lady Golf in Rancho Mirage, the first U.S. shop to carry the GGblue line. “The fabrication, performance fabric and styling make this collection.” But it’s the fit that distinguishes the line. “From age 18 to age 80, the shorts, skirts and tops cross all age demographics,” Varrelmann said. “The A-line skirt and underside seam of the tops, especially, are flattering for all body types.” In addition to the A-line Country Club Skirt ($110), best sellers include the Georgia Tee ($90), a short-sleeve polo with buttons that reach three-fourths down the front of the shirt. The Bermuda Shorts ($110) in the signature swirls, stripes and wave designs and with a lower 2-inch waist panel have also been popular. “There is a sturdy, crisp look to the fabric,” Ricketts said. “You can wash it 100 times and it will keep its color, shape, elasticity and construction.” The fabrics are not only fashionable, they’re functional, Varrelmann said. “We work with mills in Italy and some in France, so this is high-end designer ware,” she said. “The 10-percent Lycra, 90-percent Italian viscose moves, breathes and absorbs sweat.” From Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach and Lady Golf in Rancho Mirage, to golf shops in The Netherlands, Hawaii and Canada, GGblue is getting a warm reception. “This line is for the client who is well-read, well-traveled and between the ages of 20 and 50 who wears chic and hip clothing,” Cantrell said. While GGblue is based in the Bay Area, Varrelmann returns to Southern California once a month. After living 10 years on the West Side, Varrelmann has gotten to know local courses quite well. She learned to play at Rancho Park Golf Course in Los Angeles, and cites Santa Barbara’s Sandpiper Golf Club, Calabasas Country Club and Pelican Hill as some of her favorite spots. She is especially thrilled that another favorite course, Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, carries her line. The dynamic designs of GGblue have even caught the eye of editors at Golf for Women, who continue to feature her golf ware. In 2006, the spring line will expand to 80 items and include alternate weather pieces like cashmere sweaters and vests and rain jackets. The line also will feature skorts that coordinate with the current line. The growth will be slow and well thought out. “We want to do what we do really well,” Varrelmann said. “I want to keep our grounded philosophy, and that’s to create comfortable sportswear that you can wear anytime, anywhere, from the course to the restaurant.” For more information, visit www.ggblue.com. |
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