Woman-Owned Apparel Brands Offer Athletic, Travel Friendly Attire Made In USA

Playful prints, sun-smart material and breathability are just some of the distinguishing qualities of Southwind Apparel and Spunkwear. The two woman-owned brands offer extensive lines of athleticwear and dresses designed with on-the-go women in mind.

Severna Park resident Christine Maly is owner and CEO of the brands, which are headquartered on Kent Island. She explained that Spunkwear is the original product line featuring “sporty, stylish and spunky” clothing that is also comfortable and versatile enough to be worn on the playing field or along the sidelines. A little more “athleisure,” the brand is performance-driven and can be found at the Kent Island warehouse and online. Southwind Apparel was created six years ago and includes all of the latest styles and prints spanning dresses to skorts that are available on Kent Island, at local retail partner stores and online.

Maly is proud that her product is made in the USA, not far from Maryland. Every article of clothing is fashioned from a nylon/spandex material that is also used in swimwear, making them comfortable, wrinkle resistant and chlorine resistant. “We have a lot of customers who wear our product for boating because it’s great, it dries super fast, it holds up really well, and it’s all UPF50 (Ultraviolet Protection Factor 50), so it’s great for the sun,” Maly said.

She also noted, “We’re really known for three things across the brands – our prints, our great fabric because it’s super comfortable and easy to travel, and our fit.”

All Southwind and Spunkwear clothing is multifunctional, including the many colorfully patterned styles of dresses that are appropriate for everything from girls’ night out to casual weddings. Southwind offers three skorts of varying lengths designed for golf, tennis and pickleball. The brand also offers several styles of pants, tops, leggings and accessories.

“Women are busy. They’re wearing multiple hats, they’re doing multiple things – whether they’re busy raising a family, working a full-time job, even if they’re empty nesters, they still have a lot of things they are doing and they’re taking care of,” Maly said. “My goal is to create some product that encourages them to go out and pursue whatever (their) passion is.”

New styles will be released later this spring, including a mommy-and-me line that will launch closer to Mother’s Day and the brand’s first items for men, polos and hooded pullovers, that will be available in time for Father’s Day.

Maly, her husband Nick – who serves as the company’s chief operating officer – their teenage daughter and their dog, Winnie, have made their home in Severna Park. As a family, they enjoy being outdoors and on the water, whether that be boating, fishing or paddleboarding.

Maly has built her career around the apparel and footwear industry, which she studied in college. She began working for small, family-owned businesses before a stint with major brands including Adidas and Under Armour. When she knew it was time to return to her small-business roots, she acquired the Southwind brands. Today, in addition to running the day-to-day operations of the business, Maly personally gets involved in designing the clothing as well.

Through her brands, Maly and her small staff team give back to the community by supporting area women’s shelters and donating to local charities throughout the year.

Southwind Apparel has found a home with East Coast retailers from Maine to Florida, and locally can be purchased at The Cottage in Severna Park or Annapolis, as well as the Midshipmen Store in Annapolis and The Painted Cottage in Edgewater. Both apparel lines are also available online.

The Kent Island warehouse is open to customers Monday-Friday from 9:00am-4:00pm and is located at 235 N Log Canoe Circle in Stevensville. To learn more about or shop the brands, go to www.southwindapparel.com or www.spunkwear.com.