What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “swimwear”? For me, it’s typically a general malaise,or a “LOVEEEE!!!”. The perfect swimsuit to me is cute AF, doesn’t fall apart after three wears, and ideally holds both my boobs and coochie in. Is it so much to ask to feel comfortable AND sexy in an almost naked and already vulnerable state? I mean really…

I know I’m not alone when I say that finding a good swimsuit can feel borderline impossible. If you are indeed lucky to find one that ticks all of the boxes, it always feels like an unexpected and miraculous relief. You dread shopping for them (but know you have to), you try a bunch on and hope that at least ONE might fit. I’ll be honest, I STILL wear the pieces I designed from my first collab. They’re the only ones that still fit.

I know I’m not alone when I say that finding a good swimsuit can feel borderline impossible.

I don’t understand why we are still living in a world where so many items of clothing just straight up miss the mark on the bare essentials: fit, feel, and dare I say… availability?! And yes, we all need to be mindful about our consumption habits, but the reality is the world is not going to turn into a nudist colony anytime soon. Clothing is a necessity.

I like creating clothes that don’t exist but should; clothes that fit more body types, that don’t skimp on quality construction or materials, and that make statements, unapologetically. Because FIDLAR, right?

As much as I love designing clothes, and clothing in general, the actual industry isn’t always a friendly or easy place in which to operate and, despite incremental progress, we all know our culture is still saturated with certain ideals around what femininity or beauty look like, and who’s allowed to be considered desirable or “fit in” (pun intended)

My past work designing in collaboration with various partners has taught me surprising and unexpected lessons about my instincts as a designer. I’ve always pushed to include a larger range of sizes in my collections, and despite the skepticism, caution, and even downright discouragement made by some industry figures, but I never let that stop me. I rode gallantly into the fire and luckily, I was met by some very excited customers!

Here’s a mind-boggling statistic: 70% of women in the US wear a size 14 or larger, yet less than 20% of swimwear apparel is made in those sizes.

70% of women in the US wear a size 14 or larger, yet less than 20% of swimwear apparel is made in those sizes. 

This slap-you-upside-the-head statistic can be seen clearly in swimwear, where the majority of styles are primarily limited to people with “smaller frames” (my blood pressure rises thinking about that term alone, and the way it’s weaponized against people). At Lushious, we design clothes not just for women, but anyone who wants to feel and express their femininity, and while that statistic mentioned above barely scratches the surface of what’s possible to change in fashion, it does point out a glaring absence of great swimwear for the majority of people.

I don’t want to push the envelope just to push the envelope, I want to push for changes that have a positive effect on people’s lives. I want you to spend less time worrying about whether something will fit, and more time enjoying what you wear. Each piece stems from my personal experiences, victories and struggles to find comfortable, cute, and flattering swimwear options.

So why swimwear? Because it’s one of the spaces in fashion where I still see the greatest disparity between what is and what could be. Not to mention the fact that we are still seeing the same outdated aesthetics and 2000s body types. Don’t get me wrong, I love a glam, oiled up swimwear shoot, but I’m talking more Ashley Graham than Victoria’s Secret.

The swimwear industry desperately needs to be modernized, and Lushious is here to do it.