Today we’d like to introduce you to Usha Reyes.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Usha. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Fashion has always been a part of my life. I’ve always had a knack for taking anything mediocre and turning it into extraordinary so I knew I wanted to do something in fashion and something that allowed me to express my creativity.
I decided to focus on swimwear because after having my two babies back to back, my pre-baby body decided to go on permanent vacation. For the life of me, I couldn’t find swimwear that made me feel sexy or “fly”. After ordering a bunch of swimsuits from online retailers and going to department store after department store, I ending up having a breakdown in the dressing room so I said, “F it! I’ll do it myself!”
This journey has been a labor of love and faith but I’m very happy with how far *UshSwim has come and where we are going. #staytuned
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Has this journey been easy? Ha! Not at all! It’s been faaaaar from easy, but Its cool though, because the “speed bumps”, “traffic jams”, “detours”, “wrong turns” etc. make the journey exciting and worth telling later down the road. If it was smooth and easy breezy everyone would be doing it. In reality, it’s very scary, and I decided to take this trip without a “road map” and only a destination in mind.
Some challenges that I have run into include finding a local, quality, ethical manufacturer; quality fabric in the prints that represent myself and my brand; of course funding; but most of all finding people that genuinely support me and uplift me along the way.
My advice is to toss the plan out the window and focus on the goal. Be open to all the possibilities and whatever you do, do not give up!!!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
*Ushswim is a purveyor of fashionable, functional, and quality swimwear for the real, everyday woman. Every swimsuit and cover-up is designed by me and manufactured in the U.S. We are not in the business of fast fashion, we are a high-end quality swimwear brand.
I am MOST proud of what my company represents. We are not only a purveyor of swimwear but also a lifestyle brand that promotes self-love, inspires confidence, and works to diminish body shaming by promoting the ideal that the everyday woman is anything but average. I choose to use my platform to re-shape the narrow ideals of society’s definition of “beauty.”
The brand motto is “Don*t Drown”. When life gets hard, I want women to remember that they are and have everything needed to push through; Don*t Drown.
I am working on running and expanding *UshSwim full-time, but my background and education is in Business and Human Resources. I love meeting people, getting to know them and delivering strong products as a result of that relationship building. *UshSwim is my next step in merging my passions with my skill sets, bridging corporate with creative.
What were you like growing up?
HA! Next question. Just joking. I’ve been told that I was difficult, very particular and super creative. I was teased for my skin color and my name; I had an attitude about that. I grew up on a very rural island with dreams of living in the big city. I grew up in a God fearing/loving household where my creativity wasn’t really a priority (we had bigger fish to fry). I definitely had an attitude about that! I was very matter-of-fact and I knew what I wanted. And growing up in the era where children were expected to be seen and not heard was frustrating. So yeah, I had an attitude about that. Are you seeing a common theme here? LOL. Ultimately, I could not WAIT to get away and be ME. However, little did I know then, that growing up in the most beautiful place on earth surrounded by God, a family that loved me and that taught me values, and being raised around my beautiful people and culture would shape me into the Queen I am today. I am sooooo very grateful for my upbringing, and every day I plan my escape to return home.
Pricing:
- Swimsuits start at $80
- Cover ups start at $90
- Accessories start at 30$
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ushswim.com
- Email: Contact my Communications Director Jasmine@ushswim.com
- Instagram: @ushswim
- Facebook: @ushswim
- Twitter: @ushswim
Image Credit:
Photographer: Hobo, Invert the World, Swimsuit Designs: Usha
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