Everyone knows Gabby Douglas—the US women's gymnast who at the 2012 London Summer Olympics won gold medals in both the team and individual all-around competitionsand became the first African-American gymnast in Olympic history to land that honor.
You may not, on the other hand, know her sister Arielle Hawkins. But that's about to change. In conjunction with GK Elite and another Douglas sister, Joyelle, Hawkins is flexing her style prowess to design Gabby's US Olympic Team leotard.
"Being on this gymnastics journey with Gabby has required a lot of sacrifices," the 26 year old admits to ELLE.com. "It meant putting my life and career plans on hold, in order to be there for my sister and family." But through filming their family reality show, Douglas Family Gold, a multi-part series that chronicles Douglas' road to the Olympics, Hawkins found the kick in the pants she needed to finally follow her own path. "The reality show has pushed me to actually start thinking again about my dreams," she says.
Designing Douglas' leotard for the P&G Gymnastics Championships is just the first stop on the journey. "I wanted to combine the look of an elegant gown while maintaining a fierce competitive look," Hawkins says of what inspired the design. With its illusion neckline, ombre coloring, and intense embellishment, it's clear that Hawkins has an understanding of what works. And with just a few more weeks on the road to Rio, its also obvious that Hawkins has found the best model in sister Douglas, as well as the keys to a bright future.
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