“I think that it is sometimes intimidating for people to come into the store, because they think I only make these cheeky little swimsuits. While I do love making those suits, really I love making swimsuits that make people feel good.” by AnnA HArt
Ali Conway, owner and designer, Strange Bikinis
Top This Ever felt like trying on a bikini was like walking up to the mean girls’ table? One local designer makes it her business to take the judgment out of swimsuit shopping.
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RN&R
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06.01.17
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or some, buying a bathing suit is exciting. Each bikini is a promise of all the pool parties, river fests, and days at the lake that the summer is sure to bring. But for others, going shopping for swimwear is like taking a crash course on how to judge your body. From muffin tops, to under-boobs, to saddle bags, it seems that all become strikingly obvious in the ill-fitting suits one finds in the malls. This can be especially true for the women who have a little extra bosom or booty. Then there’s the matter of style—a concept that apparently goes out the window once your body is no longer a size small—did you want that shapeless tankini with spaghetti straps or a halter top? This is where Strange Bikinis comes in. In 2011, Ali Conway was living in Los Angeles, frustrated with shopping for bikinis and feeling as though she could never find one that was both stylish
and flattering. So, as a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Conway came up with her own solution—design and create bikinis that both felt and looked amazing, keeping in mind the wearer as well. The business began online with custom orders. Then in 2015, Strange Bikinis found a boost. Conway was named the winner of the year’s Biggest Little Startup Fair, a competition in which local entrepreneurs presented their business pitches to a panel of experts, with the hopes of winning a $25,000 prize. In the six years since Strange Bikinis was created, the brand has grown from a side project of making a few swimsuits for friends and family into a small storefront and an online store. It also has massive support on social media, with a follower count totaling in the tens of thousands. While Strange Bikinis has seen a huge rate of growth in the past few years, it has still managed to
