Fragrance house

Cynthia Rowley

Cynthia Rowley began her fashion career while studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; after her first full collection was purchased while she was still a student, she moved to New York and established her brand. She made her first line of dresses in 1983 and launched her namesake company in 1988. The brand received the CFDA Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent in the 1994 awards cycle. In 2003, its Swell home-and-entertaining collaboration with Target marked an early expansion beyond apparel. The label broadened from womenswear into apparel, accessories, surf and swim, fitness, home decor, beauty, and collaborations. Surf and sport became central to its creative identity, including a hybrid wetsuit swimsuit launched in 2012 and a “surf-leisure” approach described by Rowley in 2024. That year, CFDA characterized the brand through adventure, art, sport, and prettiness, while Rowley said the company had reached 100 runway shows.