Swim Journey Pt. 1…
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Jun 23, 2023
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By Cassey
Hey guys!
Thought I’d break down the POPFLEX Swim journey to give you a better feel for what was going on behind the scenes! So here we go! Part 1.
I was naive to think making swimwear would be like making activewear, but with less fabric.
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2 years ago my swim journey started and it was only supposed to be a 9-12 month thing. We ran into every possible problem from choosing the wrong fabric, to working with the wrong manufacturing partner, to getting samples with the wrong fit…I mean the list goes on but you get the idea.
What I didn’t realize is that stepping into a new category wasn’t going to be like adding on new styles…I was about to be building a business on top of an already existing business and THAT – none of us were prepared for.
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This past April, I visited the POPFLEX design office in Atlanta for the very first time since we got the keys 5 months ago! We all work remotely from home, but the technical design team needed a physical space to meet with our fit models weekly as the samples rolled in!
I flew in last minute EMERGENCY style to Atlanta to meet with Jennifer (Design Director), Elena (Technical Design Director), and Alona (Sr. Technical Designer) to work through some serious fit issues we were having with our swimsuits. (Btw super weird to rent a place without seeing it first and also crazy to meet Elena and Alona in person for the first time since they joined the team, but hey, the pandemic really changed the way people work, and overall I think for the better).
We were soooo late and had already missed a few launch dates. However, over the years, one of the most important things I’ve learned is that rushing into anything gets me in big trouble. So with POPFLEX’s first swim collection, I needed us to take our time.
Better late and good than on time and half-baked…right?
The thing is…would being late come at the expense of missing another swim season? If we waited til 2024, would the print we created even still be cool? Would the designs still resonate?? So much at risk on both ends.
