Arabella Swim
Arabella London is reinventing what swimwear means with carefully constructed pieces designed to be worn far beyond the beach. We spoke to the team about brand DNA and designing for women
What do your first 30 minutes of the day look like, your morning routine?
I kick-start the working day with a strong cappuccino and one of the first things I’ll do is share a beautiful image on our Instagram @arabellalondon to inspire and excite our audience. I like to think this provides a little virtual vacation and light relief from the everyday. It puts me in a summer mindset - whatever the weather dreaming of the better times and energised for the day ahead with a clear vision for the brand right from the get-go.
Selling swimwear online is not a simple operation - morning priorities for us involve working closely with customers to provide detailed fit advice and product suggestions depending on their body type. Maintaining a great brand-consumer relationship is paramount for us. Alongside this, as a small team we tackle all areas of the business in-house - from sourcing and product development, to the marketing and PR activities - shipping and sales. Those 30 minutes are crucial in mapping out the workflow and priorities for the day.
Swimwear that is as cleverly constructed as your finest lingerie. Our styles combine couture-like craftsmanship with ultra-sophisticated silhouettes made to go effortlessly from day to night (just add wide-leg pants or your favourite jeans for after-dark glamour). We are on a mission to instill every woman with vacation-ready confidence, and create swimwear that is exciting (and not nerve-wracking!) to slip into.
What is at the heart of Arabella London’s DNA as a brand? What has been the biggest hurdle since starting your own brand and how did you overcome it?
I’ve learnt that running a business never gets easier and ongoing challenges are part of the process. I used to think - as soon as you reach X, Y and Z - you’re sorted, but this isn’t the way it works. In the startup phase I had every hurdle to contend with - creating a brand and business from scratch without any formal background in the industry - grappling with development issues, quality control, finding factories, multiple trial and error moments compounded with the stress of being a solo founder with all responsibility entirely on my shoulders. This was a passion project I was determined to make a success. Fast-forward a few years and we’ve secured world-famous retailers and we are growing so quickly that it’s hard to keep up. With every stage of growth, new challenges arise - now we have immense pressure to meet retail deadlines, scale production, keep innovating and keep our finger on the pulse whilst balancing a social life and getting a little sleep on the side!
Do you have any mentors or guides and how does this help navigate the right path?
People with a long-term mindset are worth listening to. Success doesn’t happen overnight and businesses take time to build. I’m fortunate to have supportive family to turn to, along with other entrepreneurs I have met along the way for advice and direction. It is important to surround yourself with the right people who offer invaluable guidance and a new perspective.
Innovative design, close attention to detail and soft fabric choices have created pieces which bridge the gap between swimwear and ready-to-wear. Was this the goal from the outset?
My university years at St Andrews were spent defying Scotland’s sub-zero temperatures which had me forever in a summer state of mind (I’m a beach girl at heart) – wardrobe staples like delicate bralettes and bodysuits paved the way for the sculptural bodies that bridge the gap between swimwear and ready-to-wear, transitioning from day to dance floor, beach to bar, spring to summer and autumn to winter.
Every piece in the collection notably has been crafted to have a transitional and transeasonal appeal. How do you achieve this and was there some trial and error?
Completely. It took two years to search the globe for the finest fabrics and ensure the designs were as functional as they are beautiful - we created more prototypes than you can imagine!
The fabrics are quick-drying, chlorine-resistant and woven from super-opaque microbes to protect you from harmful ultraviolet rays. However, these fabrics can also be used for activewear and ready