It doesn’t have to be all about the bikini. In fact, swimwear can play a supporting role, and even revel in it.

For too long, designers have used swimwear as statement pieces, look-at-me tops and bottoms that hit every trend of the summer so perfectly that they’re passé by the time the next beach weather comes along. It’s a real tragedy when that means their designs age past their prime long before the swimwear gets to its second season.

Jade Swim, a recipient of the ApparelMagic Grant for Emerging Designers of Color, is countering this with every new suit they put out.

For every garish print or quick-to-be-dated tassel a competitor is selling, Jade has a chic, minimalist take.

Jade Swim founder Brittany Kozerski, a former fashion editor and stylist, is one of the few to recognize this gap in the market.

After working at many of the country’s top fashion magazines, she saw that what was missing was high quality swimwear in solid colors that could be worn year-round.

The tops, bottoms, and one pieces are bold enough on their own, but they can also slip effortlessly under layers as bodysuits. Never screaming for attention, they offer a subtler, timeless look.

Kozerski’s business, designed in New York City and manufactured out of Los Angeles, is run as modernly as the swimwear looks, with Kozerski operating with collaborators around the globe.

From fashion designers to factory owners, the world of Jade Swim is run by women, every step of the way, a rarity in an industry where the top decision-makers are too often men.

Sustainability is another primary concern of the brand’s. All fabric is OEKO-TEX certified, and some is even made of 100% regenerated nylon. By manufacturing in relatively nearby L.A., product life cycles are analyzed with greater accuracy than what could be done in Asia, and everything from fabric rolls to finished swimwear has to be flown around fewer miles before reaching its final customer, making for a lower carbon footprint. Beyond that, Jade Swim works with nonprofits like Oceana to make a further impact.

With high-profile stockists and prime placement in every fashion magazine, we have reason to say that Jade Swim is just getting started. We can’t wait to see what’s next.

For more information on the ApparelMagic Grant for Emerging Designers of Color, the winners, and other resources for fashion businesses, please click here.

Where does an up-and-coming fashion designer go after Project Runway? For Renee Hill, a winner of the ApparelMagic Grant for Emerging Designers of Color, the answer is right back to the studio.

Hill, a recipient of the ApparelMagic Grant for Emerging Designers of Color, is no stranger to fresh starts and getting back to work.

After beginning her fashion career only in her late forties, Hill had a faltering start, but is pleasantly irreverent about the mistakes she made along the way.

“I made so many mistakes, lost a whole lot of money,” she says.

It wasn’t the designing that was the issue. In fact, the creativity and spotlight came naturally to her. It was the backend business elements that were the real struggle.

“I was jumping around and just didn’t know,” Hill says. “I’m doing shows but I’m not ready for production. I’m doing New York Fashion Week, but I don’t have a lot of sourcing. I didn’t have a stable manufacturer. I didn’t have my ecommerce set up. There were a lot of things I didn’t have in place.”

The things designers miss in design school—the finances, the contracts, the software, the schedules—are the invisible ingredients in a healthy company, and that is where businesses are most likely to fail.

“Many designers don’t know the backend. Many designers don’t know the business part,” Hill says. “As a creative, those are the things that stagnate your business in addition to hindering you.”

After hitting her business’s lowest lows, however, Hill and her line Harx4 had a change of fortune that most in fashion could only dream of.

“I had shut down and said I was going to revamp and start all over again,” Hill says, “and then I went on Project Runway! So this is the process of me starting over, trying to get things done the right way and not make so many poor decisions.”

Starting back over, Hill has made an effort to get behind the steering wheel when it comes to the business aspects of her brand.

“I don’t have to master these things, but I also need to know them because this is my business,” she says. “I’ve lived and I’ve learned.”

But don’t let the renewed focus on the right-brain part of Harx4 fool you. Hill will continue to surprise and impress with the same strong, chic clothes she has been known for since her Project Runway stardom.

In her upcoming collection, Hill will be exploring new elements like tailoring and strong color like she’s never done before. Experimenting in texture, her preferred medium, she’ll debut new styles that make a big statement.

And those statement pieces won’t come as a shock to her longtime fans. Strength is an intrinsic part of the Harx4 identity.

“That is a part of my character of being a strong person, being a person who is really comfortable in her own skin,” she says. “I’m 53, and a lot of people don’t think I should wear flame Vans sneakers or Jordan 1s or anything like that. But I feel comfortable in that. That’s who I am. And I want people to feel comfortable in their own skin when they wear my pieces.”

It’s that message of power, fearlessness, and individuality that attracts her fans and customers.

“A lot of women do want to start a new career or start over at this age, and it’s scary to want to take that leap of faith,” Hill says, “I really had to accept that I was a role model for a lot of people.”

Hill plans to continue to share her own story with that of Harx4, aiming to inspire people through her own hard work and the beautiful clothing she creates.

“Your story is very important. And people should not be afraid to tell their story.”

Hill, who also works as a consultant on diversity and inclusion, sees our current circumstances as a way to move forward when it comes to race.

“In this climate, designers and businesses need to reflect on this time,” Hill says. “Take this time—this pandemic, and the Black Lives Matter movement, and what happened to George Floyd and that triggering so many things—take a moment to reflect. Just reflect on what’s going on, and see how you can grow as a person, as a city, as a society, as a world. We just need to continue to try to grow. This stuff is not going to be eradicated in the next year, ten minutes, whatever. We just have to be patient in this process. It’s a process. And you have to be willing to start the process. You have to be willing to fight the fight. It is going to be challenging because you’ve never done it before.”

That said, Hill is inspired by this movement and the positive repercussions it has already had and will have in the future.

“Young people are out here marching and risking their lives for a cause. That’s passion: People fighting to see things change. I have such a level of passion for what I’m doing. That is what drives me.” Hill says. “You have good days, and you have bad days, but I just push through with my passion.”

For more information on the ApparelMagic Grant for Emerging Designers of Color, the winners, and other resources for fashion businesses, please click here.

Starting on August 10, 2020, ApparelMagic invites designers and professionals leading fashion brands to apply for a new grant.

The ApparelMagic Grant for Emerging Designers of Color aims to promote equality within the fashion industry through cash grants of up to $1,000.

In addition to the cash grant, winners new to ApparelMagic will receive one year of complimentary ApparelMagic service on the Professional plan as well as consulting and training. All winners will receive promotion and publicity to ApparelMagic’s thousands-strong community.

Targeting brands with five or fewer years in business, this grant seeks to uplift underrepresented groups in the fashion industry, specifically designers and professionals of color.

All US-based brands meeting this criteria are invited to apply by the deadline, September 25, 2020.

Interested candidates can apply for the ApparelMagic Grant here.

Applicants’ contact information will not be shared. It will be used exclusively for matters pertaining to the ApparelMagic Grant unless otherwise requested.

Winners of the grant will be notified by September 30, 2020.

Earlier this year, ApparelMagic has stepped up to do their part in fighting systemic racism through donations to nonprofits promoting equality.

Read more about our initiatives in this space.

We’re proud to call the Council of Fashion Designers of America, or CFDA, an ApparelMagic partner. Like our clients, who have stepped up for the Black Lives Matter movement, the CFDA has announced initiatives to address the racial inequities in the fashion industry.

The statement, penned by Tom Ford and Steven Kolb, asked their members to take a hard look at what effect their businesses are making on Black workers and brands.

Using their powerful platform within the industry, both in the United States and around the world, the CFDA pledged to empower Black designers and fashion professionals with new workforce programs.

Identifying the workplace as an area of the industry that needs rectifying, the CFDA will create an employment program to pair Black talent with companies.

The CFDA also plans to add a mentorship and internship program for Black students and recent graduates, introducing them to their impressive membership base.

ApparelMagic has also announced its own plan to help provide better opportunities to marginalized communities. This includes a grant for young designers of color, a free computer science educational program, and monetary support to social justice advocacy groups. You can read our full statement here. Please watch our blog for the latest developments.

Through the Supply Chain Collective, ApparelMagic provides CFDA member brands and designers access and training to fashion inventory and business management technology. Read more about the partnership here.

For CFDA members interested in seeing what ApparelMagic can do for their companies, please email us at sales@apparelmagic.com.

The ApparelMagic community represents more than just a diverse mix of business and product makers: our users are activists, thought leaders, and active voices in their communities. We’re proud that our clients have been using their platforms to spread messages of goodwill, turn their accounts over to marginalized groups, and speak up about how police brutality disproportionally affects people of color.

Here are just a few examples of ApparelMagic designers stepping up:

Frankie’s Bikinis encouraged their loyal following to get out and join them protesting together for equal treatment.

View this post on Instagram

a message from founder @francescaaiello. we aren’t here to simply post on social media about what we want to do. we’re out here doing it. some are posting and having conversations, some are actively protesting, some are educating themselves. we’re all in this together. we will continue to use our platform and our voice to stand with you, today and always.

A post shared by Frankies (@frankiesbikinis) on Jun 4, 2020 at 2:12pm PDT

Jonathan Simkhai used their feed to promote Black authors and resources for education in antiracism.

View this post on Instagram

Keep listening, reading and learning. These powerful books spark many important conversations on anti-racism. Read, share, and leave your suggestions in the comments please!

A post shared by JONATHAN SIMKHAI (@jonathansimkhai) on Jun 4, 2020 at 1:29pm PDT

Aimé Leon Dore announced their financial support to several initiatives, including the NAACP.

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Aimé Leon Dore will be supporting Children of Promise NYC, Black Visions Collective and NAACP. @childrenofpromisenyc @blackvisionscollective @naacp

A post shared by Aimé Leon Dore (@aimeleondore) on May 29, 2020 at 11:12am PDT

Naadam contributed to and promoted civil rights organizations, showing where their money was going and what would be done with it.

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Respect. Equality. Compassion.⁣ ⁣ We believe in a better world. Let’s talk to each other, listen, educate ourselves and act to move change forward.⁣ ⁣ We’ve donated to the following organizations and encourage you to learn more about each and contribute if you can:⁣ @aclu_nationwide @blklivesmatter @innocenceproject @naacp @unicorn.riot

A post shared by NAADAM (@naadam.co) on Jun 3, 2020 at 12:51pm PDT

Baggu took this as an opportunity to reflect on their own business and how they can make themselves more inclusive.

View this post on Instagram

It’s important to us that you know we are listening and where we stand. Reposting our June 1st statement, without the hashtag and imagery that were clogging feeds. — Black Lives Matter. We are outraged and heartbroken by the murder of George Floyd, and the countless others who came before him. Systemic racism, injustice, and oppression are unacceptable. We have been slow to post, and for that, we apologize. Our intention was to thoughtfully speak about actions we could commit to and follow through with. We wish we spoke earlier, and never want to let any of you down. We have donated $10,000 to the @naacp_ldf and @colorofchange We have more work to do. We will be starting that work at home, by examining what we can do to better ensure racial equality in our own workplace. We have a platform and resources, and therefore a responsibility to our community to use them to advocate for long term change by continuing to listen and learn. Please be safe. We love you.

A post shared by BAGGU (@baggu) on Jun 3, 2020 at 2:08pm PDT

These are just a few examples of our clients’ activism. If you’re an ApparelMagic user, we’d love to hear from you how your business is helping!

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen horrific acts of racism, hate and violence more than ever before. This racism is not new. Black people in our country have been hurting from years of injustice.

ApparelMagic held an all-hands, virtual meeting on Friday, June 5th to discuss the issues affecting our community.

The fashion industry has a rich history of creativity, diversity, and inclusion. Brands and designers from around the world have voiced their support for the Black community. We have a duty to our community to speak up.

Together, the ApparelMagic team stands in solidarity with the Black community and all those who are discriminated against. 

Speaking out against racism is crucial, but that is just the beginning. We must take and inspire action if we want to effect real change. In light of this, we are announcing the following initiatives that will be undertaken by our team to help create systematic change both around the country and specifically in our industry:

Finances

• ApparelMagic will make an immediate contribution to support organizations fighting for social justice and promoting equality for the Black community such as the NAACP and Campaign Zero.
• ApparelMagic will also match all employee donations to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Equal Justice Initiative, Black Girls Code, Black Lives Matter, Campaign Zero and the Fashion for All Foundation.

Education & Resources

• ApparelMagic is actively working on free computer science educational programs to engage with and benefit minorities in our local communities in West Palm Beach, Florida
• ApparelMagic will create a Fashion Startup Grant, benefiting ambitious young designers in our industry who come from minority backgrounds.

Advocacy

• ApparelMagic is actively in contact with local community leaders to support policies of equality.
• ApparelMagic has, and will continue to participate in local events and roundtables promoting diversity and inclusion in our industry.

We love our ApparelMagic community and love that you come from so many different countries and represent so many different races and ethnicities.

We hate that racism affects the lives of the Black community and many other oppressed communities around the world.

We’re so proud of this team and so proud of our ApparelMagic community for taking a stand. 

Together, we can make a real difference.

Sincerely,

Brandon Ginsberg, CEO, ApparelMagic
John Murphy, Founder, ApparelMagic