Conversations with Emma Whitehead

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Whitehead.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and raised in Austin, TX, but moved to the Outer Banks (OBX) in 2013. When I was younger, my stepdad lived on the North Shore of Oahu. During our visits, we’d explore the local shops—one of which was a custom swimsuit shop run by a couple of older ladies as their retirement passion project. I was completely fascinated. That visit planted a dream in me: to one day own my own custom swimwear shop when I retire.

Fast forward to 2020—my mom gifted me my first sewing machine for my 21st birthday. At the time, I was in my junior year at East Carolina University (ECU), studying music education. I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to teach middle or high school band, so I started teaching myself how to sew. I began by making swimsuits for my roommates, then started sharing my creations on Instagram. Soon, friends were reaching out asking for custom suits of their own.

That Christmas, I did my first market at Surfin’ Spoon back in the OBX. It went well, so I started looking into summer markets for the upcoming season, when I’d be home from college. I graduated from ECU in 2021, and shortly after, my old high school back in the OBX reached out to see if I’d be interested in teaching. I accepted the job, moved back in with my parents, and spent the next year working as a high school band director—while continuing to sell swimsuits on the side.

In 2022, I married my high school best friend and moved to Greenville, NC, where he works as a nurse at the local hospital. That’s when I decided to go full-time with my swimsuit business!

Since then, I’ve been doing markets from Raleigh to the Outer Banks every summer and continuing to grow. I’ve made custom orders for clients across the U.S., featured my swimsuits in the Greenville Museum of Art’s Fashion Show, and now make custom swimwear for a few local surf shops in Eastern North Carolina.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Owning a small business hasn’t always been easy, especially when you’re in such a niche market like custom swimwear. One of the biggest challenges I face is finding the right balance between customization and practicality. I didn’t study fashion, so I’ve had to teach myself everything about sewing swimwear. Some clients ask me to replicate swimsuits made by specialized machines that my home machines just can’t replicate.

At the same time, I want to maintain the uniqueness of my brand and not just copy what other companies are doing. That’s always a creative challenge—coming up with new designs and styles each year.

Since I don’t have a permanent shop yet, I’m constantly taking a risk when I sign up for pop-up markets around the state. I never really know how many people will show up or whether they’ll be interested in swimwear. But it’s all part of the adventure.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My business is all about custom swimsuits—designed for men, women, and kids. Each swimsuit is made to order, and I’m proud to say everything I create is unique! I even use my swimsuit fabric scraps to make scrunchies, and my boardshort fabric goes into making dog bandanas. Plus, all of my swimsuits are reversible, giving you two styles in one!

I source all of my fabrics from Raspberry Creek Fabrics, a U.S.-based company that uses non-toxic printing techniques. My latest designs have been brought to life with the help of local artists, who digitally create the artwork that I then have printed through Raspberry Creek. This allows me to turn their unique designs into one-of-a-kind swimsuits.

When customers shop with me, either at markets or online, they get to choose their swimsuit style, size, coverage options, strap styles, and the two fabrics they want. Since all the fabrics are reversible, it’s like getting two swimsuits in one!

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
If small businesses or artists are interested in collaborations they can reach me at [email protected] or through my website www.alyswim.com. All custom orders can be made through my website and I encourage everyone to follow AlySwim on instagram at @aly.swim. I post new styles and fabrics on instagram before making them available on my website.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alyswim.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aly.swim/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alyswim