Contrary to popular belief, swimwear sales during the pandemic have continuously done well despite the global lockdown thanks to consumers stuck at home looking for an escape – even if the escape was simply to their backyard. Now that travel is back, and COVID-19 restrictions have eased, everyone is antsy to fulfill their long-planned vacation dreams. With this, swimsuit season has arrived and is here to stay.
Model and influencer Ashley Ray Cushman has always been on top of the latest fashion trends and has released her own swimwear line. Ashley has experienced the hours-long hunt for the perfect bikini to wear for an anticipated event or trip, only to come up empty-handed. So Ashley figured that if she had to spend hours searching for the swimwear she wanted, she might as well create it herself.
This go-getter attitude is what brought CCXSWIMWEAR to life. Ashley’s swimwear line is made with seamless polished satin fabric, making her customers look elegant and sexy. The countless technological advancements in fabric technology and fashion have led to a diverse range of fabrics being used for swimwear, a far cry from the old reliable lycra of the 60s. Ashley decided to go more experimental with her satin collection, made from 85% Nylon and 15% Spandex. The material is mainly associated with formal or elegant wear, which brings an added feeling of luxury to Ashley’s line.
Currently, there are 11 different colors available, but Ashley encourages her buyers to mix and match them for a more personalized look. Ashley also ensured her bikini goes well with any size or body type, wanting all her customers to feel confident and empowered wearing her swimwear line. Finally, she decided to go with the classic string bikini design to highlight the pieces’ unique finishings.
Although Ashley has long wanted to release her clothing line, it wasn’t until 2022 that she finally took the plunge with CCXSWIMWEAR. Also known as the Cushman Collection, her luxury swimwear line was formed after countless hours of drawing designs, choosing fabrics and brainstorming names. The idea of launching her line seemed daunting at first since she did not have any background in entrepreneurship and didn’t know the first thing about starting a business or building her own brand.
Even today, her swimwear launch did not come without trials and difficulties. Many people doubted if her business would be a success, especially with the rapid rise of independent swimwear brands online. But Ashley has kept her late father’s parting words telling her to follow her dreams and never let anyone stop her from doing what she wants. Drawing strength from this, she persevered to get her brand and swimsuit line out there.
Now, she tirelessly updates her ever-growing following with her CCXSWIMWEAR designs. Social media is the one that is giving the swimwear industry a push and a platform to grow. Thanks to Ashley’s strong online presence, her clothing line was heavily anticipated even before her website launch. She continues to promote her clothing line while incorporating her advocacies for health, fitness and inclusivity she has long since upheld.
