Who is Nia Nicole? In her own words, "she's a daughter, girlfriend, friend, sister, artist, cousin, and she just happens to own her own swimwear brand."

Almost Nude is a size-inclusive, sustainable swimwear brand that's new on the scene and ready to push boundaries. Founder and lead designer, Nia Nicole, is on a mission to make bathing suit shopping an affirming experience. "The main reason why I started the brand is because I have had such a hard time finding swimwear that made me feel super young and cute. I have been so insecure about my chest size for years, even took steps to get a breast reduction because nothing fit my chest area the way I wanted it to. Shopping at small businesses is always my go-to, but it's really super hard when they only go up to extra large as their biggest size."

Community Impact

Nia talks about her want to feel empowered and on-trend in her swimwear. She found it hard to do so when brands systemically exclude bigger bodies from stylish trends. "Oftentimes, you can't buy separates, so I'm buying 2 sets because my top needs to be a 1X-2X, but my bottom can be an XL. These brands don't care about quality either, so I'm paying double for something I probably won't wear next year. This is the main reason why I started my brand. I really have never seen someone who looks like me it comes to swimwear brands."

The young entrepreneur is also community-minded, "In 2020, I found myself really making sure I would donate to grassroots organizations, help volunteer deliver groceries, etc. I think I kind of lost touch with that. With my brand, not only are my customers able to get a swimsuit, but it's so much bigger than that. I know I can't change everything in the world, but as someone who struggles with fibroids, I can't really imagine having to deal with your period when you're literally just trying to survive to the next day. That's why each month, we donate menstrual and sanitary kits to folks in need as a way to help the best way we can."

Eco-Conscious Swimwear

Nia Nicole doesn't only give back to her local community. She is conscious of her carbon footprint and overall environmental impact. Recently, there has been a fierce push for major brands to be more sustainable when sourcing materials and producing products. Almost Nude is among many in the new tide of independently owned fashion brands that entered the game with a sustainability strategy.

"Sustainability is really a big one for me for two reasons: swimwear is not biodegradable, and the process of making it is really harmful to the earth. As someone who has no fashion experience and really is just learning as I go, I learned that I really need to be cautious about why I'm putting this out and the importance of it. So after like almost a year and a half of research, I hope to introduce my customers to materials like hemp and bamboo and other plant-based fabrics that will really lessen our impact on the earth and it will even have anti-bacterial properties as well that we hope help people with sensitive private areas like mine."

A swimwear brand that accounts for vaginal sensitivities? Sounds like a dream come true! Almost Nude is catering to feminine reality, "Yeast infections are super common on vacation because it thrives in places that are moist when it's hotter outside, so I hope to create something to help combat that as well."

A Transparent Brand

Almost Nude's size range currently goes from an XS to 4X. Nia Nicole made sure to include size diversity in her brand's photoshoot, "As someone who really has never seen her body represented, I know how that feels, so I really did try and find people who I felt represented different body types. I know that's impossible with 3 people, but it was important for me so that my customers could potentially see themselves in my swimwear!"

Nia Nicole has been transparent with how new she is to entrepreneurship and fashion designing. "I really have never done this before, so it's just been trial and error.” But, her dedication to research, sustainability, empowerment, and inclusion has made all the difference. "I also want my brand to be accessible as possible. When I hear conversations about sustainability, they are so classist, in my opinion, and a lot of these sustainable brands, again, are not size inclusive. As a black woman who is not conventionally skinny, I would be such a hypocrite to blame people who can't shop sustainably or if I made something that people who were only a large could fit into. I hope to have even more sizes as we go on."

What’s Next?

So what's in the near future for Almost Nude by Nia Nicole? "Our next collection will be made from hemp jersey materials or recycled materials like some pieces in our last collection. This will allow us to create different price sectors allowing for people to hopefully feel comfortable to buy something."

I couldn't help but ask the ambitious designer where she sees herself and the brand in five years, “My dream is to first get to Miami swim week, but I hope to get into resort wear soon. I'm trying to first master swimwear so that people know me for that too. I'd also like to dip into loungewear a little, but for when you're on vacation."

Great things abound in Nia Nicole's future, and I am excited about a more inclusive and sustainable swimwear landscape. If Almost Nude wasn't on your list of brands to watch before, it should be now! Follow Almost Nude on Instagram to keep up-to-date on all their excellent work and shop the brand.

Here are a few parting words from the gracious Nia Nicole,

"I want everyone to know Almost Nude was really just a way for me to put my creative ideas in one place, and I would've never dreamed it would get to where it is now. I hope that when people see my brand, they feel represented and hopeful for what swimwear and resort wear means for people who look like me."