We were lucky to catch up with Alexa Dodson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alexa, appreciate you joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

I have been obsessed with surf culture and swimwear for as long as I can remember. Growing up a Southern California native, I was always on the hunt for fun and unique bikinis that no one else had. I dreamed of creating my own brand but I didn’t know the first thing about creating a garment or operating a business.

As I got older, I struggled to find suits that fit me appropriately. When I sized up in most brands, garments became looser and less supportive around the ribcage and didn’t always provide the necessary coverage. I thought if I was facing this issue, other women must be too.

In 2020, the world had entered the global pandemic and I was 32, on bedrest and recovering from spine surgery. It seemed like the best time to pursue my dream of launching my own brand, and I fully committed to moving forward.

I immediately opened a business bank account, followed by an email address, website domain and social channels. I began listening to entrepreneurial podcasts and researched other small brands to see how they got their businesses live. This helped lead me to my first manufacturer in Los Angeles, a family owned and operated studio in Torrance, California.

We met and began to develop my first collection. They were able to recommend fabric suppliers and after some trial and error I found one out of Brazil that I still work with to this day. The fabric element was really important to me because if I was going to create a garment, it had to be as environmentally friendly as I could make it. I also wanted to create my own, one-of-a-kind prints but didn’t want printing on the material to compromise the quality or flexibility of the fabric and fit. It took almost two years but our first collection launched on our site in spring 2022, and I haven’t looked back.

Alexa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m an artist and illustrator turned bikini designer. I have long dreamed of designing swimsuits and owning my own business but for a long time, I didn’t think I could actually do it.

When I set out on my college journey in Southern California, I was interested in studying graphic design, however, after my dad passed away my sophomore year, I decided to make a change. I thought I was meant to follow in his footsteps and I pursued a career in television news and film production.

In 2016, my husband and I had an opportunity to move abroad for his job and we took the leap and moved to Seoul, South Korea. I spent my time there reconnecting with my creative side. It gave me the chance to get back to the arts and I began freelancing as a graphic designer and illustrator.

We returned to Los Angeles and I began another job working in social media marketing for an e-commerce site.

All of these experiences contributed to the launch of my brand, Lexaswim.

I currently live in Los Angeles with my husband, two small children and high energy dog. I feel inspired by the nature in my neighborhood and my travels abroad.

Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.

At the beginning, I could easily dream up ideas and sketch out designs but I had no clear vision of how to execute it. I researched a lot, often listening to podcast interviews with small businesses, or reading books on entrepreneurship and fashion.

I realized that the first major step to selling would be creating a sample garment. After I registered my brand and set up a business bank account, I was able to get estimates from a few manufacturers in Los Angeles. I specifically needed development services and low minimums because I was a small brand starting at the beginning.

Development was a big piece of my business because I wanted to create swimwear that fit a lot of women. I felt like I needed to problem solve a little— I have tried on so many bikinis that didn’t fit right. I was determined to make something comfortable and flexible that reached a lot of bodies. I spent a lot of money on development, fitting on real women across multiple sizes. From there, my manufacturer was able to refer me to additional vendors for other parts of the process such as fabrics, tags, hardware etc.

Learning how to manage a small business has taught me so much. After years of planning and preparation, it is so rewarding to finally see our brand become real. I have learned so much from this process.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

Building a solid foundation with my audience is really important to me. I strive to create trust in Lexaswim by demonstrating transparency through my social media channels. I make myself available to answer questions or customer service requests as best I can, while also showing customers the process of creating a garment, running a business, and my life as a mom of two. I want my followers to see that I’m a real human behind this brand and that I truly care about helping women feel confident in my swimwear.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lexaswim.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/lexaswim
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/lexaswim
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lexaswim
• Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lexaswim

Image Credits

Katherine Sheehan