Here we share a bit of the history of Kiwii Swim, the business of Naida Ortiz and her daughter Daina Isabel Ramírez. Naida is a graduate of the first class of the Tommie Hernández Professional Certification in Design and Patterns of Clothing in Elastic Fabrics and works full-time as an Occupational Therapist. Daina Isabel, has been a model for Tommie Hernández and is a full-time university student. This, however, did not stop them and together they decided to start and launch Kiwii Swim, a swimwear line.
Join me to learn a little about Naida and Daina.
When did you become interested in sewing?
My interest in sewing arose from a very young age, in my middle school days. I was about 13 years old when I took the home economics course. There I learned basic sewing skills such as hemming, fitting, and handling the sewing machine. Later, already in high school, I was motivated by my mother, who on a special occasion bought me a commercial pattern. I learned to read it and use it. I remember it was a palazzo jumpsuit which I made and I was happy with the initial result. That pattern was a success because I used it several times creating pieces for myself, my sister and friends, modifying it to each one’s taste. As the saying goes, who inherits it does not steal it, because I have as inspiration aunts on my mother’s and father’s side who are seamstresses and I have followed in their footsteps with my passion for sewing.
Definitely it is in her blood. Being in elementary school, she chose Fashion Design as occupation for her Occupation Week project and was exposed to various tasks of the profession. Daina is more into creating and designing, imagining the idea and capturing it in a drawing. She leaves the sewing to me. But as in any business in its beginnings, it is important to learn its different aspects. So, it’s part of the business process for Daina to learn how to sew.
Stretch fabric outfits fascinate me because of the variety of prints and patterns and how well they fit the body, in addition to the fact that they are easy to handle in terms of storage and care. Let me tell you this anecdote: “on one occasion I bought some stretch fabrics for my seamstress to make me some shirts and dresses and I was disappointed with the outcome. I realized that not everyone who sews knows how to sew stretch fabrics. She did her job well, but she didn’t have the right technique. That’s where my interest in learning how to sew stretch fabrics came from. One day, while I was with Daina at a fashion casting for students in Tommie’s courses at the School of Fine Arts, I met Tommie. Later, Tommie promoted her pattern making course for stretch fabrics and, hooray, that was a hit! I enrolled and the course met my expectations 100%. From there, already with the knowledge acquired in the pattern making course for stretch fabrics, I felt ready to level up and launch myself into something bigger, which was to expand my knowledge in pattern making, design and clothing manufacturing, and on this occasion making a mini-collection . The process was very enriching and from there my interest in launching myself into fashion entrepreneurship, apart from being an Occupational Therapist, arose.
The communication mechanisms changed because everything was at a distance. The possibility of being in a room learning, clarifying doubts, and sharing learning and experiences with other classmates changed from a face-to-face mode to a virtual one, at a distance. But I always think that challenges or obstacles serve as inspiration to learn and improve. So we learned to communicate through other means such as video calls and Zoom meetings. Tommie was always available to assist us and thus we achieved the goals set in this new non-traditional way of learning. Despite all the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, spending more time at home was very productive for me. I was able to manage the confinement in a more pleasant way, creating and producing together with my daughter, what would be my mini-collection. . In the end, achieving the result gives you satisfaction.
Many things motivated us but one of them was the balance we achieve between one and the other in relation to each one’s strengths, skills, abilities and what each one can contribute in the process.
What we love most about this entrepreneurial project is that we complement each other, divide tasks and responsibilities in the process, share ideas and support each other.
The generational difference is the most challenging. My style is more conservative and Daina’s is more fashion forward, she is more daring and inclusive. Daina is more demanding, a perfectionist with a high sense of urgency. She instills me with her way of being and this benefits the business process.
The success of any business, family related or not, is based on trust, communication and respect. When differences arise between us, we have the ability to sit down and talk and focus on what we want to achieve with our business. We seek to solve and reach a midpoint where we both agree, it’s a win-win environment.
I advise Daina to project herself big, be positive, educate herself and learn more every day, to always be open to suggestions from those with more experience and to always trust her abilities and what she hopes to achieve with Kiwii Swim.
If you are thinking of carrying out some type of venture together, such as a micro-enterprise, take advantage of it and give yourself the opportunity to live the experience, to share the process together; be determined, and enjoy it to the fullest. We have gotten our relationship to a new level and we will enjoy success together, as a family.
We focused on a name that could be easy for the consumer to remember and that when they think of Kiwii Swim they associate it with something refreshing such as going to the beach or swimming pool enjoying tropical fruits.
We want to convey a message of empowerment and optimism, that doing decent and quality work is possible with persistence and effort.
The idea came from Daina who, on one occasion, asked me to support her in developing her business idea and starting a business by creating a micro-enterprise. Daina has entrepreneurial and business sense from courses she has been exposed to. So in one of Tommie’s design classes, while I was working on my drawings and designs for my certification collection, Daina was motivated to create her designs for her swimwear line. From there, we decided to specialize in swimsuits.
We don’t have a particular type. The pieces are in standard sizes ranging from XS to L and are varied: bikinis, one-piece, strapless, trikinis, thongs. We want to provide diverse and inclusive alternatives to young women.
We want to launch an e-commerce store and promote Kiwii Swim virtually. That the consumer can have another option in the swimwear market. In the near future, we would like to flirt with the idea of venturing into the Spanish market since Daina is studying there and through what she studies she has the opportunity to take Kiwii Swim to the next level.
Yes, to please support the local market and especially entrepreneurial businesses such as Kiwii Swim. That they give themselves the opportunity to discover their talents through entrepreneurship, that they educate themselves and learn, what is necessary and more, about the type of entrepreneurship that they are going to carry out. Everything begins with an interest and a dream. Visualize yourself and give yourself the opportunity to work on that dream and you will be amazed at what you can achieve. Dare to do it, you lose nothing.
Thanks to Naida and Daina for sharing their story with Sirena Magazine. We know that Kiwii Swim will be successful thanks to the commitment and dedication of both of them and their beautiful mother-daughter relationship. Let’s support them by visiting their social networks.
We hope that this interview will inspire all our readers, especially those mothers and daughters who are considering starting a business together.
Dare to sew your own swimwear! In our sewing club we teach you how to sew a our new Maria swimsuit. As a member of Sirena Elite you have access to exclusive tutorials, a free pattern per month and more benefits. Join by clicking here.
María Enid Rosa, member of the Sirena Elite community
I would like you to take just five minutes for yourself and get to know this story full of courage and inspiration.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Kathryn Rosado: daughter, wife, mother, active member of our Sirena Elite community, and owner of Pinky Swimwear. Kathryn shares with us how she turned her passion for swimwear into her dream job.
At nine o’clock in the morning, having started the housework and with a day full of tasks, a cheerful and energetic Kathryn awaits me, ready to start our interview. I am immediately overloaded by her energy and her good mood.
A grandmother, for many of us, is like a second mother, a friend, and a teacher, of life and of skill. For Kathryn it was no different since it was her grandmother, Mama Ana, who taught her to sew when she was still a little girl. Over time, Kathryn began fixing small pieces for her family but later, people came to her for alterations, which she did by hand since she did not have her own sewing machine.
Kathryn always had a passion for swimsuits, which is why she liked to have as many as possible, of all colors, designs and prints. She used to take advantage of the sales of her favorite stores, to get new pieces. If the pieces she was able to get on sale were not her size, she managed to find a way to alter them so they would fit her. Kathryn emphasized that it was a challenge for her to sew elastic fabrics because she only used cotton fabrics with Mama Ana.
Life is full of ups and downs but for Kathryn, it’s just a matter of putting on a good attitude and moving on. Her parents instilled in her the need to work to have her own things. In her years as a college student, she managed to work two jobs and make time to go to the gym and enjoy her college life. For a time, she had to move to her aunt’s house in Ponce to be able to work, since it was not economically feasible for her to own a car. In 1999 she started working in a perfumery shop and had the opportunity to buy a car and an apartment. Over the years, Kathryn faced wrongful termination, which led her to return her vehicle and the apartment. She admits that it was a stage in which she struggled with depression but it was also an opportunity where she began to love spending time with her family and it allowed her to train in other work areas.
When her daughter Alexandra (20) and son John Dylan (13) were 10 and 3 years old, respectively, Kathryn decided to build something of her own. Her first sewing machine was a gift from her husband. Between spending time with her family, maintaining a home and at the same time starting her business, she supported herself by doing small sewing projects, as she recognized that it wasn’t yet the time to start her own business. Almost ten years later, in March 2021, Kathryn decided it was time to find someone to teach her how to make swimsuits. This is when, while talking to a friend, she learned about Tommie, Sirena Patterns and Tommie’s fashion academy academiademodas.com
When we got to the long-awaited theme of her designs, the origin of her brand name and what she wants to convey with it, Kathryn confessed that her father has been essential to her work. Her father, Plácido Rosado, was known as «Pinky» and she describes him as a very happy and humorous person. Her dad’s nickname was the first and only name that came to her mind when naming her swimwear brand. Being this, a way to keep the memory of her father, who died 6 years ago, alive.
Now we know where the cheerful, fun and unique essence of Kathryn comes from, which we can appreciate at a glance, in each of her designs for her brand Pinky Swimwear.
For Kathryn it is important to always be in the best disposition to put love into her work. “I love swimwear and I want to improve my technique every day, but I don’t expect to be perfect because nothing is perfect.” Among her swimwear designs, we can find one and two-piece sets , very striking colors, fun and unique prints. All created in her home workshop, and with the help of her children, to whom Kathryn has already delegated the responsibility of cutting patterns and handling sales and shipping. Her vision is to have a variety of unique pieces for a woman who stands out for her self-confidence.
Kathryn, like any person on the way of fulfilling a dream, has identified the values and teachings she has acquired through her life that have become her engine to move forward. Kathryn points out the importance of surrounding yourself with good people. She has learned that you should not tell your plans to everyone because there are people that take away your desire to become an entrepreneur.
“There will always be people who will question you or that will tell you that you cannot do something, being the greatest destruction of a person’s future your goals can come crashing down. You have to let go of that baggage and keep the people who tell you: «Call here, do this, how are you doing…»
When we combine our desire to develop a skill with a community of like-minded and supportive people, it encourages you to keep going. Kathryn found this opportunity at Sirena Patterns and told us:
“Sirena Patterns has been the foundation. It has been a space where I have been able to grow. It’s like Tommie is holding each one of us by the hand.”
So she points to her mentor, Tommie Hernández, as the only person with whom she can talk about her most recent stage, personally and professionally. Listening to Tommie every Monday in her “Creating with Tommie” facebook lives, provides her certainty that she can always count on her support.
Concluding our interview, Kathryn shared some valuable advice for those who have the desire to start their own businesses, and also a few others for our lifestyle. I encourage you to take note of each of these.
Without a doubt, for many of us, Kathryn’s story is an example of resilience, that we can achieve our goals as long as we never lose the desire and stay faithful to ourselves. I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did, and who knows, maybe, very soon, you’ll be the one sharing your story with us!
Mariana Morales Community Manager at Sirena Patterns
At Sirena Magazine we have given ourselves the task of exposing two talented women who accepted the challenge of launching lines within the underwear market. This is the case of two entrepreneurs and Sirena Pattern students, Gisela Medina and Beatriz Molina. They both started making underwear, each with a very special purpose. Get to know them here!
During the beginning of the pandemic, in the year 2020, it was very difficult to find underwear in stores. It took us a long time to receive package shipments from the United States or any other countries. At that time I had set out to learn how to sew my own underwear. I took multiple sewing courses, read several books and started practicing. Ever since I managed to make my own underwear, I haven’t looked back. Nothing like wearing underwear made to measure for you.
Two reasons. The first, because I really enjoy the process; from choosing the fabrics, the style and the final details of each piece. When I started an account on social media, with the purpose of documenting my evolution in underwear sewing, I noticed that my friends and family expressed that they wanted similar pieces, when seeing my posts. That’s how it all started, creating pieces for my mother and close friends.
Second, I like to educate. I have learned about taking measurements to choose the correct size of your underwear, especially the bra. It’s not complex, but it’s something that nobody teach us. Through Elsa Studio I hope that people learn to take their body measurements so that they know how to choose with certainty the size of their bra and/or panty that best suits their body. How many times have we said that a bra squeezes us or leaves us breathless? Many times! That happens because we are wearing a piece of underwear that is not our size. This can be changed by educating people.
My grandmother, Elsa Vega. I like flowers and sewing as she did too. I am also inspired by fabrics. I have a problem because every time I see a beautiful fabric with a floral pattern, bright colors or lace, I want to have it. Once I have the fabrics and the elastics, I think about the different pieces that I can create. Grandma Elsa looked forward to Saturdays because it was the day to go shopping for fabrics in the town stores.
Comfort. Beauty. Delicacy. The possibility that a bra, bralette or pantyhose feel like part of your own skin.
We plan to do a soft-launch of the “Elsa Studio” website on April 30, 2022, where we will have a very limited number of pieces available. The plan is to release collections of limited pieces on important dates throughout the year. In the coming months, we plan to offer the tailor-made parts service. The customer places the order and selects his/her measurements. With this information we make the pieces.
I have learned about taking measurements to choose the correct size of your underwear, especially your bra. It’s not complex, but it’s something they don’t teach us. We encourage you to stay connected to our social networks so that you are up to date with our news.
«I really enjoy the process; from choosing the fabrics, the style and the final details of each piece”
Since I was very young I liked to make pieces. I must have been about 9 years old when I made my first pants. I took several sewing courses during my teenage years, and while I was in college, sewing was a way to earn an extra income. But, it was not until 2018 when I decided to quit my job, to officially undertake in the fashion industry.
Underwear is something that is never too much. For me it was and still is a weakness to buy underwear, but, on very few occasions I was satisfied with the fit of those. I saw an opportunity in a market that has been forgotten: made-to-measure underwear. I thought: “if it feels good to have beautiful underwear, imagine being able to have exclusive underwear, made to measure and comfortable”. It would be a success!
Any moment or situation is a great opportunity to get inspired, although I must admit that I love being able to work on designs that offer comfort, good fit and fun designs.
The main objective of Happy Pantie is to reaffirm each person’s confidence with their body through the comfort of our designs. All bodies are welcome because we love diversity.
At the moment, we are exclusively working on panties, but soon our collection of bras and bralettes will be released, which will be standardized and custom sizes. We are also currently working on opening our website.
All bodies deserve to have comfortable, beautiful clothes that make them feel good. Never stop being yourself. Work hard and all your dreams will come true.
I am sure that both Beatriz and Gisela will be very successful with their projects. Congratulations for being brave and inspiring us all with your creations. You can also learn to create your own pieces of underwear with our Daisy pattern ideal for beginners. It includes 4 options: 2 bralette styles and 2 panties.
Dare to sew your own underwear! In our sewing club we teach you how to sew a bralette and a panty. As a member of Sirena Elite you have access to exclusive tutorials, a free pattern per month and more benefits. Join by clicking here.
Mariana Morales, Community Manager at Sirena Patterns
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