Olympic gymnast hopes to 'empower' girls, with clothing line

Nastia Liukin said she always worked hard to set herself apart.

She did that by earning five medals, including the coveted gold, for her gymnastic routines at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Now, she's working just as hard at launching her own line of clothing for young girls. She stopped in Schaumburg recently as part of a five-city tour to promote Supergirl by Nastia, the collection inspired by the DC Comics and Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

"A lot of the girls that come out are very inquisitive and also have supported me through my career," said the native of Plano, Texas, where JCPenney is headquartered.

The new clothing line is being touted exclusively at JCPenney stores and at jcp.com for girls ages 4 to 12.

The Supergirl by Nastia line targets active girls to encourage a positive self-image, said JCPenney spokeswoman Kate Coultas.

"It's all about celebrating girl empowerment and a positive self-image," said Coultas. "Fashion is a great way for young girls to express their confidence and individuality. We want every girl to be everything she can be and we want the clothing she wears to be fashionable and affordable."

Liukin said she has been directly involved in designing the line and has been working on the upcoming holiday and spring collections. The line retails from $20 to $38 and includes active fleece, dresses, tunics, knit pants, tees, dancewear, fashion leggings and other items. They're available on jcp.com and in stores, including Woodfield Shopping Center in Schaumburg, Westfield Hawthorne in Vernon Hills, Yorktown Mall in Lombard, and others.

"I have a passion for fashion," she said.

The 20-year-old athlete started by designing her own leotards for her competitions, which has led to a commercial called GK by Nastia.

"I put a lot of thought into what I liked and what I wore," she said.

Besides fashion, fabric and comfort were key to her decisions on design, she said.

Now, she's involved with the JCPenney line. When the tour kicked off in late July in New York to promote the Supergirl line, Liukin said she was thrilled to see all of the clothes for the first time on racks in a New York store.

"It was more than I expected," she said.

After her stop in Schaumburg, Liukin continues her tour to Glendale, Calif., and Orlando, Fla.

While Supergirl, the comic heroine in the blue costume and red cape, is being introduced to a new generation of youngsters, Nastia hopes the clothing line will "empower" young girls.

"It's an iconic logo," she said.