From the Fashion Lab to the World of High Fashion: Rose Mae Turner ’07

When original beachwear by Rose Mae Turner ’07 was featured in the online edition of the 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, it connected the designer back to her roots at Dominican University. 

The model wearing the metallic blue one-piece was Leyna Bloom, who first appeared 16 years earlier in the Dominican fashion show Turner helped cast.

“We kept in touch, and she reached out and asked if I wanted to make some custom designs for her,” Turner said. “So, I made three, four designs, and she ended up wearing the blue one in last year’s issue. I was so thrilled because I really didn’t know if it would get in or not!”

Turner is the creative mind behind Rosina~Mae, a collection of sustainable and ethically made swimwear and textile art. Her made-to-order pieces are produced in New York City.

Turner launched her swimwear line in 2008, inspired by work she had done at Dominican.

“In my specialty markets class, we had to think about what our specialty niche would be,” she recalled. “I realized I was good at sewing on spandex, so I decided to give swimwear a go. I ended up having some of my collection in the Dominican fashion show.”

Admitting that sewing wasn’t her strength when she started her degree in fashion design, Turner found helpful guidance from her professor, McKinley Johnson. Trusted with a key to the fashion lab, she also spent long nights perfecting her designs. 

A critic of “fast fashion” and mass-produced clothing, Turner, a climate activist, uses recycled fabrics in her garments and other creations. It’s a practice that also began at Dominican.

“One thing we did in class was go to a thrift store to buy something second-hand and rework it into a new garment,” she explained. “That challenge inspired me. I knew then I wanted my brand to be sustainable and ethical.”