Sinipesa Swim is a California-based sustainable swimwear brand, founded by Spanish designer Lucía Gómez, the ultimate girl boss with her finger very much on the pulse. An all-female team, they create timeless designs with a French touch that flatter different body types and help women feel confident while also protecting the planet. Here at House of Coco, we fell in love with this brand and their core values, one being their desire to be sustainable, something very close to our hearts. Anyone who wears their pieces will feel powerful, just like their founder, who we spent some time with to find out more.

Here’s what Lucia had to say…

Tell us about the journey that led you to launching Sinipesa Swim?

My journey began when I moved from my hometown of Madrid to live by the water in the French Riviera for a couple of years. French culture shaped my personality and changed the way I see life. While in France, I was modelling for some big swimwear brands, and I realised how far the swimwear is from being sustainable. I love the ocean, and after learning how much the fashion industry is damaging our planet, I was inspired to make a decision that would change my life– beginning Sinipesa Swim.

I left Europe to follow “the American dream” and attempt to create beautiful swimsuits in California, while also keeping that French spirit that I loved. Even though I didn’t have a background in design or sewing, that didn’t stop me. I taught myself how to sew and then created the first prototype by hand. That’s how Sinipesa Swim started: as a passion project deeply rooted in love and appreciation for the ocean, the Earth, and the women living in it.

What does self-care mean to you?

Self-care to me is a balance between my body, mind, and spirit. It’s essential to living a happy life. By taking care of yourself, you’ll feel more empowered and confident, and ultimately, you’ll be able to pass along that energy to everyone else around you.

Your brand is sustainable and eco-friendly which issomething we champion so much. Why is that important toyou?

Sustainability is the core value of my brand. From design to packaging, I worked really hard to find the best partners to create a brand that is completely eco-friendly. Our oceans are sick, and we can see that through data every day. There are two great

documentaries that I would recommend to your readers. One is “The True Cost of Fast Fashion” and the other is “Planet Blue.” It is very concerning to see the massive quantities of plastic found in the ocean, killing it’s life and polluting everything. Our swimsuits are made out of Econyl, which is a fibre that is created by gathering those plastics from the ocean and transforming it into fabric. Using Econyl is our attempt to make the world a little more sustainable and a lot more ethical.

Who is your ideal customer?

Our customer is a woman who cares about the planet as much as we do. She has a strong opinion about life and is never belittled by men. She loves art, is minimalistic, traveling, and appreciates the little things in life. She appreciates her own beauty and has learned to love every curve– and is not afraid to show some skin. She is proud of herself, and so are we.

How do you want women to feel when they wear your designs?

As a brand that is built by women, it is especially concerning to witness the body stigma that has been damaging our confidence levels for years. That stigma that we feel, unfortunately, to look a certain way or that we will never be “good enough.” That’s why we want women to feel powerful, sexy, and comfortable in our swimwear. We hope our girls are in love with their own beauty, which are enhanced by our cute designs. We also want them to feel proud for choosing the path of sustainability, and we want to let them know that they’re one of us– our Sinipesa Swim community– and that we listen to what they have to say. Always.

With Covid19, what impact has that had on your business and how have you pivoted?

We were supposed to launch Sinipesa Swim on April 1st, but due to Covid-19, we had to postpone our launch. Instead of being sad or frustrated, I chose to see it as more of an opportunity. An opportunity to learn more about my customers and hoping to be there for them during this strange time. We created a weekly IGTV series during quarantine called “When Life Gives You Lemons,” where we have episodes where friends come in and help us learn to cook something yummy, meditate, workout at home, and much more. When life gives us women lemons, we know how to adapt quickly and make the best out of every situation.

Looking back, since launching the brand, is there anything you would do differently?

Not at all! It has been so much fun. I’ve learned so much, mostly thanks to my mistakes, so I wouldn’t change that.

When lacking motivation, what quote do you like to read?

When I lack motivation, what inspires me is nature itself. I go for a walk to the top of a little hill close by my house where I can see the whole city of LA and the ocean. That beauty gives me energy to move on.

Tell us about your latest girl boss moment…

What comes to mind is when I had to figure out the logistics of putting together this IGTV series “When Life Gives You Lemons.” Even though this is a hard time for everyone and we all lack motivation sometimes, I was eager to get this going and try to connect with people remotely through my platform. When I saw how people loved it, I felt like a girl boss for managing to stay strong, original, and fun during a pandemic.

What are your plans for the brand in the future…

Increasing sizing is my biggest priority for the future. I want every woman to be a part of Sinipesa Swim. I also want to incorporate beachwear in future collections, and of course another priority is striving to reduce our carbon footprint and improve our sustainability approach in general.

How much does social media play a role in your business?

I spend most of my time on social media actually, especially lately. It’s the way I connect and interact with my customers. I want them to see who is behind the brand so that if they have any concern they can talk to me like a friend. Thanks to social media I can do that, and it is amazing! I also love being able to share pictures of our campaigns, all inspired by the Mediterranean way of life and the South of France. That’s something that differentiates us from other swimwear brands– the warmth from our Mediterranean aesthetic.

Where can people find out more…

You can find out more about who we are by reading our blog posts on our website at www.sinipesaswim.com. We share wonderful information on women, travel, our swimsuits, and the planet. You can also find us on Instagram @SinipesaSwim.

Author

Northern girl Laura is the epitome of a true entrepreneur. Laura’s spirit for adventure and passion for people blaze through House of Coco. She founded House of Coco in 2014 and has grown it in to an internationally recognised brand whilst having a lot of fun along the way. Travel is in her DNA and she is a true visionary and a global citizen.

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