Launching Sienna Swim back in June was a whirlwind, and I’m learning that owning and running a business is an ever-evolving process. As I said a few posts back, this company is run by my family and me with the help of a few friends who have all lent a helping hand one way or another to make this dream a reality for me.
That said, and especially since we are a small business, I really appreciate the fact that people have been so open with me about their feedback, specifically when it came to sizing and representation in our photo campaigns and website for the first collection.
In preparation for collection two – which drops August 11 – we have developed a new and improved size chart with an extended size range (more on this later), and we also launched something I am extremely excited to announce… The Sienna Swim Collective!
I really wanted to find a way to include people from all different places, backgrounds, cultures, races, sizes, identities and more to make sure that as many people as possible see themselves in our line. It is extremely important to me and everyone at Sienna Swim that we make people from all different walks of life feel seen, celebrated, and special. To honor femininity in every form, we launched this global ambassador program to expand our representation, gather honest feedback about the fit of our suits, and provide young women with the chance to learn about business, social media, and of course, get some cute free swimwear.
We received almost 400 applications worldwide, and condensed that number down to 31 global ambassadors. We have three tiers of ambassadorship with varying levels of involvement, and we chose to name them words associated with women and femininity in different languages, to honor both the center of our brand: women, and the people who have supported us across cultures worldwide. I chose Femia, Bela and Mujeres. The most involved tier is our Femia tier, which is made up of six girls who joined me in Malibu this week to shoot Sienna Swim promos and e-commerce photos. We had so much fun, and a few members from our Bela and Mujeres tiers who were local to the area were able to join us for a pizza party and sunset photoshoot with my best friends and family there to shoot with us as well.
Choosing ambassadors was seriously one of the hardest things we’ve had to do thus far because we had SO many amazing applicants. Ultimately, we decided we would make our decisions based on the candidates whose stories inspired us with their vulnerability, resilience, authenticity, and verve, as those are the things that I hope my story inspires in others. We were so incredibly fortunate to land on 31 amazing young women who will be with our ambassadorship until April 2023 when the next casting opens for the following season!
Please join me in welcoming the Sienna Swim Collective members for 2022/2023, and please allow me to introduce our Femia tier who will be the first faces you see in my new collection dropping August 11!
NPIE HER (Pronounced Bee Her), 25, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA @npi3her
My team met Npie at our first San Diego Swim Week event and knew immediately they had met someone special! She is so sweet, kind, and honest. When we saw she applied for ambassadorship, I was so excited for the chance to work with her again!
CHASTIDY RIOS, 18, SAN DIEGO, CA @chastidyyvette
Chastidy stood out to our team because of her bubbly personality, amazing sense of humor, and her confidence. Having her on set was so much fun, she made everyone laugh and was so encouraging to the other ambassadors.
SADIE SPRAGUE, 23, PORTLAND, OREGON @sadiesprague
Sadie’s spirit is undeniable. She is such a bright addition to any room and her goal is to become an actress and model who inspires other children who’ve been in the foster care system to pursue their dreams. We think she’s definitely on her way!
AVIANNA TRINIDAD, 20, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, @avianna.trinidad
My team and I were so inspired by Avianna’s story and how much she values her family really spoke to me. She has been inspired by her family’s work ethic and it shows-she is such a hard worker and so ambitious! When she’s not helping run her family business, she’s volunteering with her brother in the special olympics or trying to make a positive impact online.
SPENCER ACKISON, 26, LOS ANGELES, CA @SpencerAckison
When we asked Spencer what she would tell the world if the world was listening, she said: “No matter what your passion is, hit the ground running, pursue it with your full heart.” PERIOD! She definitely brought this energy on set and it was so fun to work with her.
KIARA MORALES, 24, SAN DIEGO, CA @kiara.moralesss
Kiara’s energy is infectious! She is always smiling, always excited to be creating, and my team and I were so impressed by the emphasis she places on community. She is a social butterfly and really made the first Sienna Swim Collective event feel like a community! We are so lucky to have her!
