The ObservaMé brand has clothing to fit the needs of everyone who is looking for relaxed, comfortable clothing that keeps their watch visible through the clothing.
Photo provided by ObservaMé
Karen D. Fultz-Robinson is a woman who makes things happen in her own time.
When using her watch under her workout clothes while exercising impeded her routine, she didn’t just look for another solution, but she created it through her new workout and casual wear line ObservaMé, which means watch me in Spanish.
Fultz-Robinson is a woman on the move who made her apparel line after a year of diligent research and development. What makes her success all the sweeter is that the Detroit-born and -raised Cass Technical High School graduate is inspiring others along the way through her work that is not even her full-time career.
Fultz-Robinson, an attorney and former Thomas M. Cooley law school assistant dean now fashion designer, earned her bachelor’s degree in International Relations at Michigan State University and Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Fultz-Robinson is now a part-time resident of Detroit.
The ObservaMé brand was developed to meet the demands of those who are leading very active lifestyles while addressing the concerns of using personal fitness trackers and watches while training.
Fultz-Robinson told The Michigan Chronicle that when she worked out it was hard for her to keep track of her heartbeat and pay attention to it because her watch was under her long-sleeved shirt. Wearing her watch over her shirt wasn’t helpful either.
“As an athlete, regardless of weather, I wanted to track my progress – pace, heart rate and distance, and sometimes you just want to know what time it is,” said Fultz-Robinson. “Why should something seemingly so simple be difficult to access? Athletes or anyone living an active lifestyle shouldn’t have to struggle to view their devices.”
All activewear shirts include a provisionally patented design that allows for easy viewing and access to fitness devices directly through the sleeve. Recently, Fultz-Robinson also learned that there was a need for the patent design to allow access to watches in the medical field, which led to the development of the ObservaMé compression sleeves.
As a marathon runner, Fultz-Robinson knows that training happens under many weather conditions (especially fall and winter temperatures in Michigan) and access to fitness tracking devices should not be a distraction. The ObservaMé design concept was born during a 15-mile run. Fultz-Robinson developed sketches and assembled a team to help her put together the mock-ups and final patterns.
Laura Lynn Taylor, an acquaintance of Fultz-Robinson, is a Cass English teacher and ultra-runner and tri-athlete. She wears the ObservaMé when working out and said the line is “the best.”
“It is aesthetically pleasing. I am a little older — I have curves, it just fits really, really well,” she said, adding that the material is “butter-soft” and with Michigan’s ever-changing weather she has a mix of light and heavier materials from the collection.
The product line has expanded to include signature shirts along with vests and performance pants and a variety of accessories. ObservaMé’s brand name was also chosen by Fultz-Robinson to explain the company’s purpose for its customers.
The ObservaMé apparel line for men includes half-zip and crewneck shirts, hoodies, vests, full-zip jackets with hoods and performance pants. Women’s wear includes half-zip and V-neck shirts, full-zip jackets with hoods (with a high/low option), vests, hoodies and long and capris style pants. All apparel is available for purchase at www.observame.net and the line previously appeared at the Detroit Marathon Expo.
“We help the consumer watch their performance and provide a stylish look that draws others to watch them as they compete or overcome performance barriers,” said Fultz-Robinson. “It references the clocks on our wrists but also encourages accountability, which helps us strive to maintain our fitness goals.”
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