Cassandra Rull’s love for surfing and active lifestyle transpires through her easy-to-wear, girly-yet-functional clothes. “I’m a girl on-the-go and make clothes [that fit] my lifestyle,” said Rull. “Everything I make you can just throw on.” Bright floral patterned bubble dresses, tie-dye off the shoulder tops, and versatile high-waist spandex skirts are just a few of Cassandra’s signature designs. Her subliminal passion for fashion was sparked while shopping at a boutique in Grand Junction, Colorado. “I saw this octopus head helmet thing with tentacles of different prints draped to the sides, I thought it was the coolest thing.” said Rull. Then, after moving Oahu in 2007, Rull decided to put her own creativity to the test; she bought her very first sewing machine. Never sewing a day in her life “I had no idea what I was doing, but I had all these ideas in my head,” said Rull. Combining her love for surfing and newfound passion for fashion, Rull made her ideas become reality. “I started sewing clothes for myself and some of my friends,” she said. “I would post pictures on my Myspace page and enter small fashion shows.” Cassandra’s hippie-surfer inspired yet stylish pieces appeal to young women from all walks of life: the girly to the tomboy. Her designs are simple yet versatile, floral bubble dresses can be thrown over a swimsuit after a surf session or dressed up with bulky accessories and heels for a night out. “My friend from Colorado offered to buy my clothes, so I told her $20 including shipping,” she said. “I never imagined this would ever happen; selling my clothes in stores or making money off of something I love doing. I never thought I could do that.” Currently a senior in the Apparel Product Design and Merchandising program, at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Rull is concentrating on school and continues sewing as a hobby. Her designs are only sold directly through her at cassandrarull@gmail.com.
- Dayna Omiya
