Meet Carla Pallares of Yemaya Swimwear in Cherry Creek

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carla Pallares.

Carla, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born and raised along the beaches of Texas and Florida, so I have been a beach bum since before I could walk. Living in a swimsuit my whole life, I never really felt comfortable. I always told myself that one day I would make a fashionable suit that allowed women to be both comfortable and confident. I always thought there was no way I was the only one that did not feel as comfortable as I should in a high-quality suit. This dream of designing swimsuits was really sparked because of how I was raised. Growing up in a South American household, my mom was the creative parent and my dad was the business parent. So, I have always been exploring and utilizing both the creative and business perspectives my parents taught me.

After graduating from Colorado State University, I decided to learn Italian and I moved to Italy for six months to learn the language. While I was there, I had the opportunity to intern with a fashion photographer. This completely changed my life and ignited my passion for fashion. After Italy, I moved back to the United States and decided to take my design skills to another level and enroll in fashion school at the Art Institute of California, Hollywood. Once I graduated, I spent many years working in all areas of the fashion industry. From celebrity styling, public relations management, buying, retail, and design I became more confident in working towards my dream.

Then, it finally happened. One day, I woke-up and decided that today was going to be that day. I quit my job, took the money I had saved, got my trademark and started Yemaya from scratch all on my own. And here we are six years later.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road! Being an entrepreneur is amazing, but there are definitely struggles especially in the beginning. What I struggled with the most was getting people to take me seriously as a young female business owner. I would go into these production meetings and I would get comments like “so, it’s just you? I hope you know what you are doing.” I’d hear people say, “you know I used to have my own business years ago, competition was too intense, so it didn’t succeed.” I think the worst was constantly hearing, “you know, it’s hard out there. Good luck.”

I also would have these production and manufacturing houses try to charge me more because they thought I was clueless. I struggled to find production houses that would work with me because they had huge minimum requirements. Me, being self-funded and small, I had small minimums and a strict budget. It was constantly discouraging because so much of the feedback and interactions with others was pretty negative with no positivity in sight. However, I just stayed strong, ignored all the “noise,” believed in what I was doing, and leaned into my vision for my company. I honestly think it’s my struggles that empowered me to keep going and thankfully, through hard work and networking, I found a great team that believed in me and believe in Yemaya.

YEMAYA SWIMWEAR – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Yemaya Swimwear is a South American/Bohemian-inspired line that focuses on comfort and fit. Every single piece is seamless, and we use non-pinch elastic. This means, our swimwear is immediately more flattering to the body and will not pinch your skin when worn. Every top is designed to be matched with every bottom, so there really is a perfect fit for everyone. Our swimsuits are made for all body types so no one will ever feel excluded when trying to find a bathing suit for themselves.

I also try to design differently from what you see in the market. I will have classics in the collection, but I also like to think out-of-the box on designs. I tailor my designs based on details that our clients and customers tell us they want or what they wish they had for their bodies. Every single Yemaya piece is handmade in the USA. We are a 100% American made business which has always been really important to me.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Our swimsuits are worn by women all over the world and that makes me incredibly proud. I’m so glad to get emails, messages and letters from women and their significant others, telling me how amazing they feel in a Yemaya or telling me that they’ve never felt so comfortable in a bikini before. Those are the kind of messages that keep me going every day. I’m happy that I’m able to make these women feel comfortable in their own skin while wearing a bikini.

I’m also very happy to have celebrities and athletes in my suits. One huge dream that came true was being in Sports Illustrated. This was an iconic moment in my career, and it was a reminder that I have so much more to create. I also had an owner of one of our retailers in California tell me that Lady Gaga came into the shop and bought two of my suits, one for her and one for her assistant. Those kinds of stories are pinch-me moments that make the Yemaya story even sweeter. I’m honestly just proud to be able to do what I love and have Yemaya Swimwear help to drive confidence and beauty within the lives of women around the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.yemayaswimwear.com
• Email: carla@yemayaswimwear.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/yemayaswimwear
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/yemayaswimwear
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/carlaloren
• Other: www.instagram.com/carlaloren

Image Credit:
@sarahorbanicphotos

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