The 5 Marketing Musts Frankies Bikinis Is Using In Uncertain Times To Propel Wait Lists And Sell Out Its Sexy Swimwear Line

Even if summer is just around the corner, it’s the last thing you would expect in the middle of the COVID-19 retail upheaval. Record breaking swimsuit sales. Defying the odds, Frankies Bikinis 25 year-old Founder and Creative Director, Francesca Aiello has charted a decidedly unique marketing strategy resulting in wait lists and sold-out styles for her sexy swimsuit line.

The foundation of the brand’s current success is a continuing initiative to push forward and not only build sales but their social media. As a result, in the last month Frankies Bikinis online sales have increased by 50% along with a steady increase in their Instagram following accompanied by a 30% increase in social engagement.

These results are impressive in light of the current negative swimwear trends as cited by Edited with their data reporting, as the virus took hold, monthly drops between February and March 2020, which are normally peak months.

The current climate has also given brands the opportunity to reevaluate how they communicate with their customers. Aiello has embraced this approach by mobilizing five key initiatives in the past month that other brands might want to follow to create greater direct to consumer demand.

1. Maintain Consumer Engagement. Aiello explained that one of the main reasons for their “drastic growth has been our approach to social media. We strategically chose to continue posting content to our social media rather than pause in the midst of this crisis.”

The response was positive. Apparently customers were sending messages that the content Frankies Bikinis had been showcasing gave them a sense of normalcy, while there is so much uncertainty in the world, along with a sense of excitement for what was yet to come. Aiello observed, “There is so much negativity on the internet, and seeing dreamy images of the summer (we all hope to still have ) has been a breath of fresh air to our consumer base.”

2. Stay Creative And Fresh. While other retailers are canceling shipments, Aiello reinforced that “something that has always set Frankies Bikinis apart from others in their category is the consistent capsule collections that are released between their two major seasons - Resort and Spring/Summer.” This approach seemed particularly apropos right now.

Finding new inspiration and new fabrics, Aiello didn’t want to wait to share that with her customers. As a frequent shopper herself, especially for new arrivals, Aiello “always wants the latest and greatest.” As a result, Aiello, because she shared so many similarities with her target audience, implemented it into her current brand strategy to deliver the excitement of newness along with the knowledge that the brand’s capsule collections tend to sell out quickly.

3. Build Anticipation And Demand. Because Frankies Bikini’s capsule collections are in high demand, the brand posts “sneak peaks” to their social channels to build hype and excitement around the launch eliciting hundreds of comments from followers who want to plan what color or style they plan to go after as soon as it is released. For their latest collection launching today, the approach generated a 3,000 person wait list.

4. Build Relationships and Authenticity. Another marketing tool that Aiello has started implementing is putting herself in front of her customers more. Since founding the brand over seven years ago, Aiello has maintained a strong relationship with her customers which is something she attributes to the brand’s success.

Now more than ever Aiello is making an effort to put herself at the forefront of the brand and interact even more with its consumers. Whether that is doing Instagram live’s with other brands, sharing the brand story, continuously responding to comments and inquiries on social posts and messages, creating content to show how she is working from home and what she is doing to stay inspired during this time - Aiello is putting herself at the forefront to inspire followers and consumers - building an even stronger relationship with her and the brand. 

5. Inclusivity. Finally, Frankies Bikinis is growing significantly in regards to awareness of their message of inclusivity. It has become a staple in the brand as Aiello has created more pieces that will fit and flatter as many body types as possible wiht a new size range from XS to XL. Every style offered includes a range of coverage options and silhouettes so that every customer can find something that makes them feel confident when wearing it. 

Although rumors abound that consumers are not buying swimwear right now, Frankies Bikinis is beating the odds with a hyper-focused strategy on product, marketing and social outreach. As a result, they may actually be instinctively following what Dan Misener from Pacific Content advises, “Don't be the person at the party who only wants to talk about themselves. Talk about what you have in common with the audience, those shared values.”

The recent sneak peak release of their terry swim club collection, where specific styles of the swim, apparel and bucket hats sold out within a matter of days, garnered tremendous feedback on the sneak peak photos prior to launch. The brand also uses responses to sneak peak photos as a strong indicator of how collections will fare once launched.

This article originally appeared in Forbes, written by NJ Falk

Bonjour Amour Swimwear: The Next Big Name In Women's Swimwear

Have you ever skimmed through your favorite Instagram influencers page and saw her on one of her fabulous vacations and said to yourself, "I want to have a vacation like that, but what would I wear"? Well, new resort and swimwear brand Bonjour Amour Swimwear has you covered and not just for what to wear on your next vacation but where to go.

Normally when you think of sheer and bold metallics, ruffles, custom floral prints, lace and satin you think of couture runway pieces, lingerie and evening wear. Well, think again… think beach… or, as Bonjour Amour Swimwear would have it, rooftop lounges, sun-soaked terraces and starlit cocktail gatherings in the summer by the water. All Bonjour Amour's fabrics are treated for salt and chlorine water making for a surprising twist on traditional swimwear while still being functional and body inclusive. With the market overflow of sustainable, minimalist, sporty swimwear brands, Bonjour Amour Swimwear is bringing all the glam you crave for your special night out in Ibiza, your romantic trips to Barcelona or your honeymoon in Paris.  Bonjour Amour Swimwear has pieces that will make you feel special no matter where you are traveling. Plus, on their blog, Bonjour Destinations, the online brand has a list of recommended five star resorts all over the world that could be perfect for your next trip.

As the new kid on the swimwear block, Bonjour Amour is already a coveted fan favorite of celebrity stylists, fashion influencers and top editors. The brand debuted with three collections that are perfect for any woman's lifestyle: the Bonjour Paris collection for the romantic fashionista, Bonjour Paradise for the sexy, Miami style fashionista and Bonjour Basics for solid color body sculpting basics that feel and contour the body like shape wear.

Bonjour Amour Swimwear's size range is size 2-18 with customizable cup sizes for all cupped pieces. Customers can choose their cup and body size so women with a size DD bust and a size 2 body can wear Bonjour Amour Swimwear's supported one-pieces by choosing a size DD bust for their bust and a size small for the body of the suit and vice versa. A woman with a C cup and a size 16 body can chose a C cup and a size XL for the body of her suit.

MIGA Swimwear — Initially Exclusively Designed For Disfigurement — Expands To Include Designs For Disabilities And Chronic Illnesses

On a frigid December night in Manhattan’s East Village, as you approached the entrance of Short Stories, one of the neighborhood’s newest bar and restaurant, you noticed an unusual thing for this area— a wheelchair ramp. The East Village, along with other New York City’s historic neighborhoods, is notoriously known for its wheelchair-inaccessible buildings and hard-to-navigate cobblestone streets.

On this night, in particular, MIGA Swimwear, a swimsuit line specifically for people with disfigurements, chronic illnesses and disabilities, was having a launch party for its second line. In order to be inclusive of guests, MIGA’s CEO and founder, María Luisa Mendiola, made sure the venue was wheelchair accessible, prompting the owner to place a ramp in the entrance.

Short Stories had the ramp since its opening, but this night was the first time it was used.

“Places say they don’t need to be wheelchair-accessible because they don’t have customers in wheelchairs,” says Mendiola. “But the truth is, they’re losing customers in wheelchairs and with disabilities by not being accessible. It’s amazing to see MIGA is making places like [Short Stories] shift the narrative.”

MIGA Swimwear officially launched in November 2018, when Mendiola raised over $10,000 to release the brand’s first collection that was made specifically for burn survivors. For the second line, Mendiola wanted to reach a grander population and help even more people feel confident in swimsuits. Through 25 answers to a survey she sent out to people living with different kinds of physical conditions, Mendiola came up with five new designs for this year’s collection.

Those five new designs were crafted carefully to accommodate over 25 different diagnoses, including spinal cord injuries, sacrococcygeal tumors and ostomies. For example, one design includes a high waisted bikini bottom with an adaptable belt with snaps so the wearer can comfortably place a stoma bag. This swimsuit was inspired by a woman named Lydia, who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. As a result, she underwent surgery to remove her large intestine and got an ileostomy. Lydia is now one out of 450,000 people in the U.S. who wears a stoma bag.

With each purchase of a MIGA swimsuit, you receive a canvas bag detailing the story behind the design. Not only does this storytelling empowers the person whose the story is about, but it also opens up a dialogue between the consumer and the brand, which in turn creates a space for more conversations to be held. 

Mendiola explains, “the brand doesn’t work unless we have people that both have disfigurement and don’t, or have disabilities and don’t. [MIGA] is a brand where we want to have those kinds of conversations that are not being had. It’s a brand equally for people that do have disabilities and for people who, when someone that looks differently walks into a room, don’t know how to react. We want to create that space where it’s not patronizing. We don’t want to like educate for the sake of educating. But like the more you know, the more you can combat that awkwardness and I think at the end, it’s all about how you can be more of a kind human [who’s] understanding and empathetic.”

Mendiola developed the vision of MIGA from her own insecurities about her physical disfigurement. She has brachymetatarsia, which in her case, means that she has shortened fourth toes on both of her feet. As a young girl growing up in Costa Rica, she was told to conceal this imperfection in her appearance.

It was only through her fashion studies at Central Saint Martins in London that she found her true passion for bringing inclusivity in the fashion industry — when the idea for MIGA Swimwear was conceived — and she started becoming more accepting of herself. In the process of building the brand, Mendiola has also inspired dozens of other people to be comfortable with their own physical appearances, especially at such a vulnerable place like the beach or pool.

The 2019 MIGA Swimwear line launched on December 12, and each of the five designs is available in sizes XS through 3XL.

by Sarah Kim / Forbes