Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniela Martinez.
Hi Daniela, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Thank you for having me, I’m very excited.
So Morena Swim was originally a fun, random idea me & my best friend Naomi thought of.
We were like “you know what would be so fun? If we started our own bikini line together!”. Putting aside these wild dreams we had as kids to be business owners, Naomi & I have been best friends for a little over 10 years. Living in Corpus we’ve grown to love the beach and love being in a bikini. We also played soccer starting from club to high school, all the way to having the opportunity to play collegiate soccer at A&M Corpus Christi. Although we were athletes our whole lives, it seemed she & I never really felt 100% confident in any of the bikinis we would wear.
We wanted swimwear that would look good on girls with THICKER bodies (AKA: big boobies, legs & booties). So soon after I literally just thought “screw it” & that’s when I decided to actually make Morena Swim come to life.
I self-taught myself to sew (wellllll, with some muscle memory of my 10th-grade fashion design class) & got started. The reason I chose the name “Morena Swim” is because the word “Morena” means “dark-skinned” or “brown/tan” in Spanish, which fits our skin tone when we’ve had some sun!
I was born in Mexico, and really love to embrace my second home, the language & culture. I also work full time at the Patel Law Firm, and am currently getting my Business degree. I also do life with my amazing husband Joey and my step-daughter Brooklyn. She is my inspiration for including a mommy & me collection since we love to match our outfits!
I’m so very passionate about this so again, thank you for supporting this hobby-turned business of mine.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been very difficult and time-consuming, as any business would be.
I am a one-woman show: from everything to website design, logos, tags, sewing products and equipment, fabric shopping & comparison, sewing the bikinis individually, responding to customers, social media, markets, accounting and taxes, and so much more, it’s all me and nobody else.
I’ve learned a lot, I’ve stayed up many nights, and I’ve had losses; but in the end, it’s still all very rewarding. I am very proud of myself for all I’ve accomplished and the fact I’ve actually figured it all out alone.
I expect to keep growing, having others handle certain things for me once I graduate, bring in fitness, loungewear, beachwear & womens clothing, start a store front and once I’m more established – starting an official label and going wholesale. But for now, I definitely don’t mind baby steps, after all everything is a learning experience and I’m very blessed to stay busy and have the opportunity to work hard and own my own business.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I make handmade bikinis and sell beachwear. I specialize in making suits that fit the everyday woman, and not the Instagram models we constantly compare ourselves to.
I’m very proud of the fact I’ve founded this company from scratch and have developed and built it all, MYSELF. I think what sets me apart from others is my genuine soul. I try to be as real as I can and not sugarcoat things, as well as keep the line as affordable as possible.
Being someone who was born an immigrant and having to work for every single penny I have, I don’t want to promote a product that everyday people cannot afford or feel comfortable in.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I learned how important online shopping can be! Being a small, new, online retail shop, I didn’t feel too impacted by COVID but it definitely made me realize how truly anything is possible with perseverance and hard work. Online stores have taken over the world, and pop up shops are getting more and more popular. I’m excited to grow in my community & expand in Texas & my home country. But as a Mexican & a woman, all I truly am thankful for is the blessing to call myself a business owner in general.
Pricing:
- $40-50 max per piece.
- $10-25 accessories.
Contact Info:
- Website: shopmorenaswim.com
- Instagram: @shopmorenaswim
- Facebook: shopmorenaswim
