Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ashley Rhodes Kryssi Murrell . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ashley Rhodes, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

In building our swimsuit company, we have always wanted to provide everyday women with the opportunity to look and feel beautiful. The very last runway show we had, we had 2 different mothers come to us and express how happy and touched they were by us for including their daughters. Hearing those mothers’ testimonies and seeing them beam with pride, while watching their daughters strut the runway knowing the struggles face every day was so fulfilling. That is what we do this for. We want every man, women, and child to feel that special and lifted-up every day.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My sister, Kryssi, and I have always been lovers of the water and Summer. With me being born near Jacksonville Beach, Florida and her being born in Bermuda – the love for all things swimming and water-related has always been near our souls. One random Saturday she calls me up while vacationing in her husband’s hometown of Miami to just generally ask “Sis, how many bathing suits do you own?” In my response, I shocked myself: the number was 27 bathing suits. Her next question has changed both of our lives. She asked what you think about starting a swimsuit company, I thought it was a great idea, thus birthing the idea of our company, Epta Wear in Miami in December 2020. Epta stands for 7 in Greek which is our family origin. The number 7 holds significance to us as we are seven years apart and 7 is a lucky number in most cultures.

Since then, the research, time, and effort she has put into this business has gotten us to where we are now. It is always tough doing business with family because emotions ran so high and family members can be so passionate. Through communication and knowing that we ultimately want the same results, we push through the tough times together. We used my modeling/fashion career to jumpstart our business utilizing my connections and network, which put us in our first fashion show: Miami Swim Week 2022.

As entrepreneurs building any business is going to be tough. We have faced many struggles while working on Epta. Finding manufacturers that can provide quality products at an affordable price was definitely one of our biggest challenges. It took many days of research and purchasing many samples before finding a suitable one. Most people would look at this as a waste of money and not an investment, but we knew it would make us stronger in the end, so we spent the money. Our products are made from a variety of fabrics from reversible to eco-friendly we are providing luxury swimwear for everyone’s needs.

We created this brand with everyone in mind and wanting you to feel classy and confident when you put on one of our pieces.

Eptá: Classy. Confident. You.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

We want anyone that comes in contact with our brand to know that no matter what you look like, what color you are, how big or small, old or young, you are worth it and deserve to be seen as such. As victims of bullying in our early pre-teen years, my sister and I understand just how cruel the world can be. As creators, we are striving to be the change we want to see in the world.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Society as a whole should be more open and accepting of everyone. Always be kind because you never know what people are struggling with. I make it a point every day to tell a stranger something nice because I never know what it can do for them, but I know just how special it makes me feel when it happens to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.epta-wear.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/epta_wear
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Eptawear

Image Credits
Nicole Afyouni David Garcia Yessenia Martinez Chris Brumel