Fashion and culture has always been an endearing force in Mui Ying Kwan’s life. Born in Canton, China in 1975, Mui Ying spent her earlier childhood attending matinees with her mother. She became mesmerized by the luxurious and impeccable style of the glamorous Hollywood starlets in classic films.

By the time she moved to New York City at the age of six she was still captivated by the performing arts. She adjusted to life in the United States quickly and began intensely training in classical theater. She studied and performed with the New York City Parks Shakespeare Company.  During this period, Mui Ying received her first dose of creative fashion designing when she had to create her own costumes, which she sewed, and pieced together from flea market finds.  This experience catapulted her infatuation with clothing and fabric.

After graduating with a degree in theater from the New York City Performing Arts high school, where she also befriended future fashion collaborator Vida Dominguez, Mui-Ying went on to study in such diverse fields as Psychology and Literature. Eventually her deep ingrained love for fashion prevailed and she went on to study at Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. 

Mui Ying draws her inspiration from the quintessential elegance of starlets and NYC culture. She has extended these concepts into her own wearable, comfortable pieces with glamour and timelessness


Born in 1976 in San Francisco, California, Vida Dominguez was an exuberant and creative child who dreamt of ballet slippers and black stallions. After living in Sunny San Diego and spending endless days on the beach with her bikini clad Barbie, in 1984 she moved to the creative capital of the world, New York City. She would return to Southern California for summer breaks and other school holidays. Growing up bicoastal, immersed within these two polar opposite cultures was influential to the development of her eclectic style. In New York Vida began dancing at the prestigious School of American Ballet and later attended The Performing Arts High School where she met fellow fashion visionaire, Mui Ying Kwan. Vida credits her feminine design instincts to her strong dance background. “Dancers are masters of accentuating the positive and hiding the negative”, Vida noted. Her sensitivity and focus on comfort are integral throughout the line.

After High School Vida did quite a bit of Globetrotting, and spent time at ultimate beach destinations such as; Costa Rica, Miami, Indonesia, the Caribbean, and the French Riviera. Each of these locations provided Vida with immense inspiration to create her own line.

With Vida and Mui Ying’s creative powers combined Rockaway Beach was born in 2004. They are inspired by the the high glamour of Hollywood’s silver screen stars 70’s sassy spirit of skate Betty’s and surfer chicks flourishing along the California coastline, as well as the elegance and sensuality of the French Riviera. Their goal is to suit women all over the world on the shores of the most beautiful beaches, and by the coping of the prettiest pools in comfort and uncompromising classic style.