SWITCHING UP SWIMWEAR: Sisters and Aurora San founders Gemma Sherman and Natasha San will launch their direct-to-consumer swimwear brand May 24.

Although neither has worked in fashion professionally until now, each typically travels with 20 bikinis. After years of swapping swimwear and sharing tops, they decided something is lacking for swimwear options. They set out to create timeless silhouettes that can be updated by changing swimwear straps. San said, “We were looking for classic, figure-flattering swimwear that lasted season- to-season but was also exciting and on-trend.”

Under the Aurora San label, they have developed five styles of customizable swimsuits with interchangeable straps that will retail from $115 for the Triangle to $220 for the One Piece. Made from polyamide and elastane, the swimsuits are meant to have a controlled cooling body moisture system with woven sunblock properties and quick-drying technology. There are four straps in prints and colors retailing from $30 for a pair of two to $75 for a set of six. The Aurora San clasps are made from Zamak, heat-resistant, hypoallergenic metal plated in a yellow gold color.

While the concept was 10 years in the making, the sisters are self-financing the company. The two have partnered with the brand’s chief design officer Emmaline Vaughan Ronson, who has more than 20 years of related experience. The company’s site is scheduled to go live May 24.

Aurora San is focusing on direct-to-consumer sales in order to start small and grow organically, the founders said. Aside from “the freedom and flexibility” that comes with being a start-up, the founders plan to rely on social media and ever-evolving marketing tools to get its name out there and continually innovate its strap options and deliver to customers quicker and at the speed of changing trends.

Sherman and San are planning a launch party at the Wolf & Badger store in SoHo since the retailer is also British and curates and promotes up-and-coming designers. The sisters are also old friends of Wolf & Badger founders George and Henry Graham. The pair are brothers, with George Graham heading up the business side and Henry Graham serving as creative director. Founded in 2010, the company is home to more than 700 emerging independent designers for women’s, men’s, and children’s apparel, jewelry and accessories, as well as homeware, gifts and designers. In addition to its two stores in London and one in New York, Wolf & Badger has an e-commerce site.

VIA WWD

By Rosemary Feitelberg