Fashion – Los Angeles
Brazilian bikini designer Natalie Zena got her start in design at the age of nine when her grandmother introduced her to her first sewing machine. The death of her mother served as a catalyst for this new hobby and sewing became a cathartic activity that Natalie frequently turned to for solace. The young designer continued to polish her sewing skills by doing clothing alterations for family and friends in her neighborhood. And thus, a love for sewing was born.
Inspired by the childhood summers she spent in San Bartolo, Perú, Natalie transformed her talent into designing her own bikinis. Natalie’s distinctive scrunch bottom design was birthed out of her necessity to find a bikini bottom that fit her “just right”. She grew tired of always having to make alterations to the bikinis she and her friends purchased from local stores. She kept that in mind when creating her own line. “I want to accentuate, not cover up, a women’s behind”. The female form, the beach and her Peruvian culture are a primary source from which she pulled her inspiration from.
In 2010, after a long sewing hiatus, Natalie sat down to design her first bikini line. She used her graphic design skills to create and print on her choice of fabric. This ability gave the designer unlimited options for prints and her sewing skills finished the rest of the work. Natalie Zena Beachwear is now in its third year of production.