New and Last Items Available on Etsy

          Just wanted to post an update and announce the last few items for sale before official launch  are up now on Etsy. I will write a longer detailed post about everything I have had to do since the last update, in case anyone is interested in how to launch a swimsuit line/business. So here are a few styles now available on Etsy.

Click HERE   for details and prices

Second Step: Finding a Manufacturer

       My trademark has been approved and I am all set to go! I wanted to wait until this was finalized because I did not want to go through with printing any labels or marketing materials only to have my trademark denied and having to go through everything all over again. It would be a huge waste of time and budget.
   
        So now that I have my brand trademarked, I am narrowing down a manufacturer and I am in between two; one in Bali and one in Miami. Both have major pros and cons but a huge bonus of Miami is the proximity! I could even drive there if I had to. Another bonus is that they work with start-ups and have lower M.O.Q (minimum order quantity). Also, according to polls many of my demographic likes products made in the US. A con is that it will end up being a tad bit more costly to manufacture in the US, thus making my pricing higher. The manufacturer in Bali is all inclusive of fabrics, whereas here I have to purchase separately and still pay for the pieces to be made. I am importing the fabric from Italy and it's a great eco-friendly fabric made from recycled fishing nets and plastic collected in the ocean. 
   
         Having said all this a HUGE hurdle I am trying to get over now is actually getting in contact with the right people. Receiving responses is like pulling teeth and it really makes you wonder how these 'professionals' became .. professional. I feel like this might be a bad month to be starting the sample process because mostly everyone in the industry is already underway with production orders for this spring. I also feel like not everyone is taking me seriously because I'm just a teeny little start-up business and statistically speaking the odds are against me.  It's already hard and scary enough to be starting a business with no investors or a large lump of cash to play with, but when people ignore you and draw the process out even longer its very disconcerting.  Really, I think it would help to get the ball rolling and jump in with both feet, don't look back because its too late kinda thing.  I am doing things to keep busy and trying not to lose focus, but its hard to feel motivated when the people you are depending on aren't responding to emails. Until I get the responses and questions answered I will work on technical drawings and picking hardware, accessories and trims.

If you have any advice or words of encouragement, don't hold back! You can also email me : monikasanguinetti@gmail.com



                                                                  Thanks for Reading!

Life Update: My Year

           I figured it has been so long since I wrote anything, that maybe I should update and write a bit of what I've been up to. Needless to say, the fashion blog was a bust. It is just way over saturated and it's too late in the game to get in there and actually get seen and  read.  I also don't have the budget to purchase and showcase exciting designer items like others do. This doesn't mean I have been sitting around doing nothing though! For one, we had a baby in June, so that has kept me VERY busy. On top of that I have turned my Etsy sewing hobby into a full on business. As of June, I am Isalina Swimwear. So that has kept me extra busy. I have been doing a ton of research and reading up on business ownership, and specifically swimwear business. Although there are a few vague things I have found, there aren't many specific things to go off of and so I thought it would interesting to write down and document my experience here, and maybe that will help someone in the future!

       So, to start, I decided to trademark my name. I came up with a unique name idea which is my 2 daughters names shortened and put together; Isalina. Little did I know, the trademark process actually takes around 9 months. Crazy, right? I thought I was going to pay and have it same week. So that was the very first thing I had done, on the business side, creatively I had already begun sewing my own samples and sketching other ideas. I had decided to take on a fashion show in DC for DC Swim week late July to get some eyes on my pieces and get some word of mouth and interest in the brand. That event was fun and I would say it is worth it for someone who could jump in and be super social and network with others. I, however, am the opposite of that and was even avoiding doing the designer interviews and had trouble talking to anyone! I did get a bit of exposure to the industry and really the only downside was losing a bikini top sample during the process. Before doing any type of networking event such as this I would recommend setting up a website with a web hosting site such as Shopify. I did not do this before the event and therefor couldn't hand out my business cards with my domain on them because it wasn't set up yet. I didn't want people to go to the site and receive an error message. Currently, I am looking into business and personal loans as well crowdfunding like kickstarter to help fund this project.  But, before I can set up my kickstarter I need to have great professional photos done of my products. In order to do this, I have to have professional samples made by my manufacturer so that what I am advertising is what people would be getting. And, it's little details like this that I couldn't exactly find online and I just had to figure out and arrange on a timeline in my head. For right now, I am just trying to stay positive and motivated and not lose focus of my goal! Some days are harder than others and I just think I am crazy for having this big dream.

        Here are  just a few photos from DC Swim Week of my collection!



                     

purchase sample HERE or email to pre-order

Purchase here or email to pre-order

                                                 

I wore my Camilla dress with nude lace up sandals. Be kind, I was 1 month after having a baby!

If you want to follow along with I'm doing, head over to my instagram HERE 

To pre-order anything please contact me at Monikasanguinetti@gmail.com

New Sexy Snake Print Bikini on Etsy

          I am so incredibly in love with this fabric from Fluky Fabrics on Etsy! It feels sooo nice and the colors and look of it just absolutely screams summer and Miami, Bali, or Hawaii. It's so exotic so I had to start with a super sexy style. I first made this brazilian back adjustable bikini bottom and the style of the top just seemed to match so well with the bottom that it was created immediately after. I am seriously considering getting more of this fabric, what styles would you love to see in this print?

Also went with a more modest bottom for the girls not wanting  to bare all! I got you..

You can find both of these one of a kind original pieces HERE ! 

New Gingham Bandeau Lace-Up Bikini

 

       Just posted a new listing up on Etsy of the newest addition! Its a gingham off-the-shoulder lace up bandeau bikini set. Shop here

-Fully lined
-With boning in side seams
-Elastic in top and bottom

Etsy Update and New Items for March 2018

        There were a couple of new items that went up on my Etsy site this month! Two bikini SETS are up and ready for new homes! I have also renewed the listing for the high waisted gingham bikini that was sold out last summer since I found a couple more yards of the fabric. high waisted gingham bikini

$39 for nude scrunch butt bikini set

$45.00 for tribal ruffle bikini set

        Both have elastic in top and bottom as well as the scrunch butt feature for a super flattering booty fit. Both are fully lined. The tribal print can be tied in front or wrap around and tied in back. Please hand wash cold and line dry!  I have these displayed differently in flat lay because I am currently VERY pregnant and in no shape to model these beauties, but am looking for a model to show the fit better.

       I have a few other projects in the works including a matching striped skirt and tie front bandeau set, a floral asymmetrical mini dress, and a romper all coming up on the site in April! Also coming up for April are a ton more bikinis and one pieces. I have started to expand my fabric search to online stores since it is so difficult to find swimwear fabric here in Virginia. I find I am more drawn to exotic prints with strong Miami feels, although I am not sure that is what sells right now. I feel that when you wear a sexy bikini you should want all eyes drawn to you! Own the moment. 

This is the newest print I have to work with for April and I am pretty excited! It is super soft and buttery with really great stretch. I also have a solid heavenly baby blue that will look great with a nice summer tan. 

To get quick updates of what's new on my Etsy, follow me on instagram! 

Thanks for reading!

New Etsy Items Now Available

  I updated my Etsy with a few new items, I continued the trends of the season. I added this adorable gingham shoulder baring lace up top with eyelet sleeves:

I also reworked a romper I had previously made. People thought it looked a bit frumpy and I wasn't ecstatic with it either. Turns out, destiny wanted it to be a bodysuit! It came out great. I added a seamless thong bottom with a snap clasp closure for easy bathroom access(nothing more stressful than using an airport bathroom wearing a bodysuit without the snap clasps). 

Link to check these out HERE

Thanks for reading!