We had the chance to witness brands on the rise during the last few years and Ete Swimwear is a brand that instantly captured our attention. This West Australian swimwear company, founded in February 2016, has already achieved some of the lifelong goals of swimwear designers such collaborating with incredible influencers and being invited to the New York Fashion Week. Their collections are standing out with their feminine pastel prints and bohemian texture, while making the quality of their products their number one priority.
The vision of the founder, Jessica Williamson, about Ete Swimwear instantly resonated with us & it was only a matter of time until we’ve decided to reach out to her. Not only an incredible business person, designer and boss, Jessica is an incredible human being that is both ambitious and deeply perseverant. At only 24-year old, her brand is still quickly growing and her designs are as unique as before. Where comfort meets fashion, we’re totally obsessed with Ete Swimwear and their last collection, made in collaboration with Matilda Djerf, is to die for.
We had a talk with the mastermind behind Ete to find out more about her journey as an entrepreneur, the place Instagram had for her company as well as her inspirations.
Can you tell us a bit more about yourself? Who are you, where are you from and what were you up to in the last few months?
I am 24 years old from Perth, Australia. I grew up in Perth where we’d spend every possible moment outdoors or by the beach, the sun is always shining here (well most of the time). I launched Ete Swimwear in February 2016 and have never looked back since. I have always had an interest in the fashion industry, however, my background is actually in digital marketing which has been a huge help in starting my own e-commerce business. Just one week after launching I was actually invited to attend New York Fashion Week which was an amazing opportunity so early on and since then we have continued to grow a strong online community with over 40k on Instagram and counting. Most recently I teamed up with Matilda Djerf (@matildadjerf) an amazing Swedish influencer to co-design our latest collection which has been super popular, selling out in just one night!
When I learned that you were 24 years old with a brand on the rise, I got impressed. Instagram played a major role in your success, but was it part of your plan since the start? What was the most challenging aspect of focusing all your work on a specific platform?
Yes, it’s quite amazing what Instagram can do for a new brand, although it is a lot of hard work to keep posting content that your audience can engage with. I have always kept Instagram as a vital role of our promotion strategy as it is where we can interact with our audience, showcase our products and create a community of like-minded people where they can come together. From the start I had tried to build our following even before launching so that we would have a platform to launch on, and this is how we were discovered to be invited to NYFW.
You have a degree in Digital Media, but decided to pursue your lifelong dream of launching your own company. Why swimwear?
I have always loved the beach lifestyle. Living in Perth, Australia we have some of the best beaches in the world and I love to get down there whenever I have a chance. This, combined with an interest in fashion lead me to take the path of swimwear and I’m really enjoying it! My degree and passion in digital marketing paired with my interests in fashion and summer were the perfect fit for an e-commerce swimwear company.
You have a lot of different customers worldwide, how would you like them to feel when wearing Ete?
We want to make sure our customers worldwide always feel confident and beautiful whilst wearing Ete Swimwear. We want them to feel empowered and to go out, explore and push boundaries.
Do you think that being from Western Australia played a major role in your ideas and inspiration?
I think it has played a part in my love for the summer and beach lifestyle. As mentioned before we have some of the best beaches in the country if not the world! Living on the West Coast, we have some amazing sunsets over the beach and our new collection is inspired by the pink and blue hues that fill the skies at sunset in Perth.
Any aspirations for the rest of the year?
I am just excited for where this year will take me. So far I have already achieved my 2017 goals so am reaching even further and looking at expanding our wholesale base worldwide and continuing to grow our online community of go-getters and adventurers.
For all the people thinking about jumping into an entrepreneurial adventure, what would be your best tips for them?
Just go for it! There will never be the perfect time or idea and you will never know until you try it so just go for it and see where it takes you.
Website / Instagram
Thanks to Matilda Djerf for the photos
