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One of the most empowering movements in the fashion industry in recent years has been the rise of body-positive clothing lines, which aim to celebrate diverse body types and promote self-confidence.
28-year-old Vanessa Mennillo is making her mark on the swimwear industry by redefining body positivity through her inclusive swimwear brand, Mennillo Designs.
Mennillo is a Canadian-founded brand based in Montreal that has been making waves with its empowering message and stylish designs.
Vanessa decided to create her swimwear line to fill a hole in the market as she remembers being 16 years old and excited to go shopping for swimwear when she realized that bikinis were sold together in a pair.
“If you were a small bottom, you also had to get a small top,” she said. “And I was not that.”
Struggling to find bikinis that met the needs of various body types, Vanessa started designing herself with the goal to make women feel confident and beautiful, regardless of their shape or size. Once she launched her line, she discovered there was a high demand to buy pieces separately.
As a young woman, buying swimwear can be an extremely intimate experience. In a perfect world, we could go to a store and find a bathing suit that compliments our body shapes and is aligned with the latest fashion trends.
However, that’s not always the case.
For many women, not fitting into clothes creates the narrative that something is wrong with their bodies rather than there being something wrong with the clothes for not being inclusive of all body types.
Designed with inclusivity in mind, Mennillo offers sizes ranging from XS to XXL. They also use various fabrics and styles to flatter different body types and highlight each woman’s unique features.
Once Vanessa created bikinis that weren’t sold as a set, she took the next step to create different styles to cater to the needs of a diverse range of women. Her clients were seeking different bathing suit coverages. So Vanessa responded by creating a range of different coverages in one fabric print to ensure customers feel confident in their swimwear.
In Mennillo’s latest Casa Amor launch, the Ève Bikini bottom in “Shinny fuchsia” comes in different coverages — Tanga is for anyone looking for sexy minimal coverage that avoids major tan lines. They also offer the Brazilian bottom that provides a little more coverage.
Mennillo also offers the Mariana bikini bottom in both the Brazilian and Underwear coverage for the girlies looking for a high-waisted moment.
Something incredibly unique about Mennillo is the efficiency of their adjustable straps. All swimsuit tops are created to offer adjustments at the waist and shoulders. These are essential to ensure you get the support you need to keep your top in place.
Mennillo is breaking boundaries in the swimwear space as the brand is not bound to the traditional ideals of a “one size fits all approach.” Instead, they offer unique styles and colours to address every desire for a bikini.
Throughout the brand’s journey, Vanessa has kept a positive mindset despite some bumps in the road.
“When I first started, all of my drops would be sold out in a week, which was great, but I wouldn’t be able to sell for another two months because I had no stock,” Vanessa says.
The adversities faced by the swimwear brand didn’t stop them from persevering and growing their brand.
“Everything comes from writing it down and having a solid idea of where you’re going and how you’re going to become international,” Vanessa says as she discusses scaling her business in 2023.
“Surround yourself with people who can help you because you can’t do everything alone.”
Now that the brand has evolved, it seeks expansions beyond the Canadian market. While offering international shipping, Mennillo hopes to make its mark worldwide.
Mennillo is a refreshing and inspiring addition to the swimwear industry, offering stylish and inclusive swimwear that celebrates women. From coverage to support, Mennillo has everything you need to piece together your bikini wardrobe that will leave you feeling confident and sexy.
If you’re shopping at Mennillo for swimwear this summer, be sure to use the Her Campus exclusive discount code, campus15, to receive 15% off your next purchase.