12 Days of Holidays - Day 12: ONE HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT
I've been hinting at it... I've been dropping small amounts of info... but here is the FULL STORY that I have been dying to share.
In the Summer of 2017 AmandaLouise will be releasing our first ever true Resort Collection. Until now, all of our swimwear has been created by me personally, with the occasional help from a local seamstress that jumps in when we get a ton of orders at once. Needless to say, that model is not conducive to launching a line that I dream of being in boutiques and available for sale online with quick shipping.
I've dreamed about going into production... designing my own ultra unique patterns, finding an American manufacturing facility, and launching a line that I could ship worldwide... but it remained just that, a dream... until recently.
About a year ago I was introduced to a design consultant based out of LA and NY after asking one of my fabric vendors for a contact to get fabric strip cut. (Cutting the fabric for straps is a real bitch.) Anyways, that vendor sent me to the design consultant because of their knowledge of services within the industry. Well, they didn't know someone who would strip fabric for me in the small quantities I was looking for, but we did have a conversation about designing and launching a resort line to accompany my every growing presence in the competition market. As a competitor myself, I was (am) having a hard time finding beach/resort bikinis that are a super sexy (not trashy) look but also high quality. Something I could turn heads with, that would last, and I would feel absolutely gorgeous in. Well, one thing led to another and the conversation turned into "Amanda... YOU are meant to create that line."
Ya, well then the conversation went into the finances it would take to do it. Let's just say I threw up in my mouth a little bit. I mean, AmandaLouise makes money, but I basically put every penny back into it in the form of Sponsorships for Athletes, Marketing, and attending events. I definitely would NOT call it a profit machine. So, that ended the conversation. My dream was put on hold while I came down from the clouds... who was I to think I could really launch a "legit" swimwear line.
Fast forward about 8 months and I had literally not been able to let go of that dream. I was still a little sick about how much it would cost, but I couldn't help but feel like I NEEDED to do this.
As the universe always does, it hit me over the head with a 2x4...
This time in the form of an email from the design consultant. Out of the f-ing blue, she sends me a note that basically says "hey, I've been thinking about you and your line... and maybe we start small to make it more affordable... but I have this feeling you need to do this." MIND BLOWN. Ok universe, you win.
So, here we are... knee deep in the design process. Picking out gorgeous fabrics, finishing up the pattern designs, and creating launch plans for Summer 2017. Let me just tell you, I am pretty much in tears over what we are creating. These suits (there will be two tops, two bottoms, and one seriously epic one piece to start) are a mixture of my style and ideas, and the input of some top designers in the industry. Think sexy, glamorous, "holy sh*t where did you get that suit" bikinis. Or, at least I hope that's what you'll think!!!!
I've put up a page on the site called Resort Wear 2017 where you can sign up to be the first to see the designs, the first to pre-order, and the first to know about model casting calls for our marketing campaigns. OR you can simply use the form below.
I can't wait to share with the world what we've been working on. 2017 is simply going to be EPIC.
Stay Beautiful...
