On Monday, Bloomingdale’s will unfurl Aqua x Ava Phillippe, a limited-edition collection inspired by the 25-year-old actress’ California roots and her love of art.
The collection features feminine pieces, adorned with Phillippe’s original artwork.
In addition to having appeared in shows such as ABC’s “Doctor Odyssey,” Netflix’s “Ransom Canyon” and the short film, “The Sisters of Scott County,” she has also modeled for brands like Rodarte, Vince Camuto Fragrances, Ivy Park, Pat McGrath and her mother Reese Witherspoon’s own brand, Draper James.
The Aqua x Ava Phillippe collaboration blends bohemian spirit with nostalgic ’90s charm. The 36-piece collection includes ready-to-wear, jewelry and shoes, all featuring romantic details such as delicate embroidery, layered ruffles and intricately embroidered denim. There are also cozy sweaters and effortless T-shirts that showcase the actresses’ artistic touch that rounds out the offering.
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The Aqua x Ava Phillippe collection ranges in price from $68 to $298 and will be available at Bloomingdale’s stores and bloomingdales.com.
In a Zoom interview, Phillippe said she never designed fashion or accessories before. “I’m a huge fashion fan. I’ve never gotten an opportunity like this, and so I just jumped on it. They asked me, ‘How involved do you want to be? And I said, ‘as involved as possible.’ I can’t sew this stuff, but I want to part of it as much as possible. And so they really embraced me with open arms,” Phillippe said.
Phillippe said she was inspired by California rock stars of the ’70s and sunny beach days.
“I’m a California girl at heart, so I knew I wanted this collection to reflect the sun-soaked and carefree aesthetic of where I grew up. I wanted everything to have a sense of nostalgic dreaminess — pastels, vintage-inspired florals, lace — juxtaposed against bolder elements like studs and chunky jewelry. I’ve always loved drawing and creating, so I’m delighted to be able to include some of my original artwork on some of the pieces. It really feels like I’ve put my personal stamp on the collection in that way. Bloomingdale’s brought all my inspirations to life with this Aqua collection, and I’m so proud and excited to share what we’ve created,” Phillippe said.
Phillippe explained that they sent Pinterest boards back and forth and had calls about patterns and fabrics and what was possible on the manufacturing end. “So I really learned a lot in the process, which was really cool, as somebody who loves fashion and the process of making and designing,” she said.
Phillippe said she didn’t go to art school but has been creating, drawing and painting all her life. “I mean I even had a sculpture phase for a little bit. I’ve always loved creating art, and I really have a lot of respect for artists of all kinds. So to have them [Aqua] ask me to include some of my designs, like my little doodles and drawings that I’ve done, was so flattering,” she said.
Phillippe sent them a couple of little emblems and sketches that she has saved up over the years and they selected which ones most aligned with the collection. “We put some really cute ones on the T-shirts and sweaters, and it just makes it feel very special and very personal,” she said.
When asked what were some of her favorite pieces from the collection, she said, “I have so many. It’s like trying to choose your favorite child. There’s this one really cute crochet set with studs. It’s like a cardigan skirt set. I’m in love with it. I’ve worn it a billion times. And then there’s also this really pretty yellow dress that has all this beading. It’s a maxidress. I don’t how they were able to pull this off so quickly. They really went the extra miles with this one, but it’s like my dream dress.”
Phillippe, who’s been working on the collection since December, said her friends are so excited to see her collection at Bloomingale’s. “I think they’re so excited that it’s not this crazy price point…it’s totally within their budget. Some of them have already stolen pieces [from me],” she said.
As part of the collection, Phillippe also designed footwear. “Honestly it reminds me of my days at Berkeley [Phillippe graduated from University of California, Berkeley] because it’s open-toed sandals. Everybody at Berkeley was wearing those kind of hippie-dippie sandals, but these are a little chicer. They’ve got little turquoise studs on them, which I thought was so cool. I’m obsessed with turquoise jewelry, and turquoise in general. I grew up with a mom from the South, and she was always wearing turquoise. And her friends too. So I feel like it’s an homage to that. The sandals are super cool and they’re comfy.”
The collection also features a flare jean, which is her favorite silhouette. “We added some really nice lace embellishments to give it a romantic, feminine touch. And then it was so cool with what we came up with the studs,” she said.
Discussing how she got together with Bloomingdale’s, she believes that they saw that she’s been doing a lot of fashion stuff on social media. Honestly, I’m just happy they found me. I’ve been an Aqua lover since my teen years and couldn’t help but jump right on the opportunity. And I’m always at Bloomingdale’s at Century City.”
In fact, Bloomingdale’s Century City will host a curated launch event on Saturday including art-driven activations and a special appearance by Phillippe. She said a fashion illustrator will do little fashion illustration portraits on stationery, which Phillippe designed, and there will be friendship bracelets. Phillippe will appear in the ad campaign that was shot in Pasadena, Calif., and the collaboration will be promoted on Phillippe’s social media, TikTok and Instagram.
Kelcye Ball, senior vice president and general merchandise manager of ready-to-wear at Bloomingdale’s, said, “Aqua has always been about expressing individuality through fashion, and Ava brings such a fresh personal point of view to this collection. From the soft romanticism to the strong California influences, every piece reflects her creative energy and authentic style. We’re thrilled to collaborate with a new voice in fashion who so naturally embodies the spirit of Aqua.”
“I’m just so excited. I just want people to enjoy and have something cute to wear this summer,” Phillippe said.
