We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brianna Millstein. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brianna below.

Brianna, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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?

The idea for Brisea Swim came to me during my junior year of college at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. We were tasked with making a line that would be featured at our end of year fashion show for the Fashion Department. From the moment I had to cut my first sample to sew I knew it was going to be a huge part of my life. I had always been interested in fashion, I majored in Business Administration with a minor in Fashion. I always knew I would have my own business someday but I wasn’t sure what it would be until that sewing class.

For years after that I dreamt up my line. Sketching designs and researching trends consumed me. Four years after creating my first design in school we officially launched Brisea Swim. I had to figure out absolutely everything from manufacturers, to social media and website design. I had quit my full time job in NYC and put all of my efforts into Brisea Swim. I sourced compostable packaging and had makeshift photoshoots in my parents living room until we had the money to afford an actual photographer and studio space.

I am the most proud of our ability to pivot. It has not been easy, owning my own business, but I take each day in stride. There are so many incredible brands out there that it is hard to stick out but our customers remain true to Brisea Swim and show up for each and every launch day. I have learned so much the past almost 5 years since Brisea Swim’s inception.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Brianna Millstein, I am 29 years old and from New Jersey. I am the founder of Brisea Swim, a sustainable swimwear and accessories brand. Brisea Swim was created during my junior year of college. I went to school in South Florida minutes from the beach. I grew up spending my summers at the Jersey Shore. My mom always had my sister and I in matching swim and to this day, it is one of my fondest memories. I wanted to pair my love of the ocean with bikinis that not only fit really, really well (maybe I’m bias) but do something good for our planet.

Our pieces are made from recycled ocean plastics and packaged in compostable bags. We donate a portion of all sales to ocean conservation and beach clean ups. I have made it my mission to have comfortable, easy, beach pieces that not only feel good on but do good for the environment.

It has been a dream come true to see my designs come to life and be worn across the US. Since our initial launch in 2020, we have been able to expand into a line of accessories such as cover ups and sarongs as well as Men’s Swim.

I am proud to create bikinis that fit well and can be worn for years to come. Our bikinis feel good on and that is because I take the extra step to make sure that each piece fits as it should, there’s no pulling at your sides and getting bunched up in the process. We are proud to work with sustainable materials, down to the compostable ink on our mailers, we take ocean conservation seriously.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

Finding a manufacturer that could meet my needs was no easy task. I had researched swimwear manufacturers for almost two years before deciding to bite the bullet with our first manufacturer. They were based a world away and communicating with them was never easy. I would be waking up sometimes at 3 or 4 AM so that I could get on a call for 3 PM their time. It was a long process and I was thrilled to have my pieces in hand after nearly two years of back and forth. While they were great products I knew I could do it much better.

I went back to the drawing board and started researching female founded swimwear manufacturers. I decided to pick a US based company that has been in the industry for over 30 years. My new team is wonderful, they are so helpful and I heavily relied on them in the beginning when making my buying decisions. I learned it’s okay to start with one company and shift to another, I learned it’s okay to negotiate, do not ever take the first number they throw at you and agree with it. There is always wiggle room somewhere down the line. My prior experience in the fashion industry helped when picking a team to create my pieces. Knowing the lingo and some of the terminology definitely helped with my imposter syndrome.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I am an avid reader, I love self help books and any type of book that helps with money management. I always recommend Atomic Habits by James Clear. Podcasts truly can be your best friend when starting out, there are so many different entrepreneurs giving away advice for free that you can listen to and learn things from.

I always say if you ask someone and they tell you no, you are asking the wrong person. There are opportunities for growth everywhere if you take the time to center yourself and find your “why”. Keep on trying until you get to where you want to be. You are your only limit in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://briseaswim.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briseaswim/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BriSeaSwim/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannamillstein/
• Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briseaswim