Duke students may finally be able to take a comfortable nap in Perkins and then have a stylish night out with friends—without needing to change.
Stephanie Santistevan-Swett, a third-year Ph.D. student in cognitive psychology, came up with a solution to the eternal question of “comfort or style” by designing rompers that fit both purposes. Santistevan-Swett launched the Kickstarter for Eva Jo Rompers Sept. 22 with the goal of raising $22,000, and has raised more than $18,000 as of Sunday. The rompers are designed to be able to be worn all day, regardless of the situation.
“Rompers are usually really playful or dressy, and it’s hard to find something in between,” Santistevan-Swett said. “A lot of them have weird cut-outs or are too short. I’m a grad student, I’m not 18 anymore. I had a really hard time finding ones that were appropriate and that I would feel comfortable standing in front of class in.”
The rompers are made of a stretch-knit fabric and have the snap on the shoulder, making it easy for them to be taken off and put on. Santistevan-Swett noted that convenience and comfort were her priorities when designing the rompers—they are machine-washable and have drawstring waists instead of elastic ones, accommodating a wide range of waist sizes.
“I am a comfort freak,” she said. “I will give up cute and choose comfortable any day, but to have something that is both is really great.”
Jess Oakes, a lifestyle blogger, received a sample product of the rompers and found that they were as comfortable as pajamas.
“[I] am running from shoot to meeting to events all day long—and with a three-month-old. I would say they’re more than versatile,” Oakes said. “I feel like I’m wearing pajamas all day long, but they’re cute, so they’re definitely not pajamas.”
At the Kickstarter launch party in her hometown Salt Lake City, the rompers were well-received by women in the community, Santistevan-Swett said. She added that the rompers are meant to fit women of all ages and in a variety of situations—for example, a mother who is eight months pregnant should be able to wear the romper well.
“I designed [the rompers] to be very versatile,” Santistevan-Swett said. “They’re playful enough that you could go chase your kids in the park if you’re a mom, or you could throw a blazer over one and wear it to the office or to school.”
Prior to May this year, Santistevan-Swett had no experience in entrepreneurship, and noted the difficulty in breaking into the whole process of developing, manufacturing and marketing an idea.
“I was starting completely from scratch. I didn’t know how to do anything,” she said. “I really just felt like an infant trying to get the product made. There was just such a steep learning curve.”
Although learning the ropes of the entrepreneurial world has been Santistevan-Swett’s biggest challenge, she has learned how to balance her company and academic life. Her foray into fashion involved many hours of dedication over the summer, but her hard work is slowly coming to fruition, she said. When she reaches her Kickstarter goal, Eva Jo Rompers will begin to be manufactured for public purchase.
“To have complete strangers being really excited about my product was extremely gratifying, and it [was great] to see that all my hard work had started to pay off,” Santistevan-Swett said.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.