I love swimwear and having the option of different styles and cuts to wear while away, I also love dreamy resort wear you can take from beach to beach club so as to save on packing, but one thing I don’t like is the amount of non-sustainable resort wear out there.
With websites flogging swimsuits for under £10 one can only but ask “How were these made and where?” and the answer is likely to be a very shocking one involving unethical and unsustainable materials and practices.
I then found out about a young female lead resortwear brand Ezili, which is trying to cut its teeth in this market by standing out from the crowd with small batch production, dreamy, unique styles, and above all, striving to be as sustainable and ethical as possible.
Behind the scenes at the dreamy label
What led you to set up Ezili?
It was a long time coming really after years of fashion degrees and experience in different aspects of the fashion industry. I was working as a model shooting a lot of swimwear and doing a lot of travelling which was a super fun and dreamy time in my life, but gradually I developed this really huge desire to take my schedule into my own hands and create something for myself, rather than just being a part of the process in somebody else’s business or journey. Ezili was born and the rest is history.
What sets Ezili apart from other online swimwear retailers?
We try to maintain a really unique, boutique vibe to our brand that doesn’t necessarily adhere to trends. We find by staying in our lane and offering pieces that are original to us and different to the mainstream we don’t need to compete with other retailers!
What inspires your designs and how do you keep them fresh each season?
Our designs are inspired by art, vintage archives and photography, travel, and also simply by things that are missing from our personal wardrobes. We don’t launch products seasonally we just concentrate on crafting pieces that stoke emotion, and make you feel really special.
How do you source your fabrics?
We initially found it difficult to find specific materials or eco fabrics in the exact prints or colour tones we needed so we now do it ourselves via in-house graphic design and digital printing. I’m extremely proud of this process because it’s what really makes us unique.
What is your most popular piece?
The margarite pearl coverup. We worked so hard on getting every single detail of this piece correct and I think our customer base have really bought into how special it is. So many manufacturers refused this design because of the work and intricacy that goes into it, every single pearl is hand-sewn, and the embellishment placement is specifically designed for comfort and ease of movement.
We get tagged in a lot of bride-to-be posts wearing this on their hen dos or honeymoons and it makes me so happy to see these women celebrating special moments in such a unique style.
What is it like being a young female business owner in today’s world?
Surprisingly – Fine. Which I am aware is sadly not the case for many women, I think I actually jumped on the hype when females had already paved the way. I have loads of people to look up to and learn from within the industry. Conna Walker, Emma Greede, Good American Jen Atkin, Marianna Hewitt and Summer Fridays to name a few.
I am so glad there has been a shift in today’s culture in which we see an increasing amount of women in control of their own businesses. This is everything Ezili celebrates at its core – empowerment and freedom.
Do you think becoming more ethical and sustainable is important in the fashion industry with so much fast fashion? What is Ezili doing to be more eco-conscious?
I’m so passionate about moving the brand in that direction because with all the access we have to information and fabric developments we really have no excuse not to! The vast majority of our new swim designs are made from recycled plastics, and we are currently exploring the use of hemp and bamboo cotton.
We have also made small changes behind the scenes such as asking manufacturers not to package stock in single-use plastics when shipping to us and I feel really confident that all these small changes can add up to make a big difference.
What is the future for Ezili and do you have any exciting new launches in the pipeline?
To put it simply I want to design even more special styles for women to create special memories in. We are working towards becoming a full circle lifestyle brand, the goal is to become the go-to bespoke brand with a conscience not just for swim and resort but branching into product lines such as cosmetics, shoes and even suncream.
What advice would you give to other female entrepreneurs who are thinking about starting their own fashion line?
Firstly – Ask questions! Focus on the importance of adaptability and being fluid when it comes to change if something isn’t working. And always be prepared to work harder than you thought was possible!
For more info on the dreamy Ezili, see online.
