What is your startup?
My startup is Anna Carla a beautiful beach/swimwear label for vibrant women everywhere. The Anna Carla goal is to help women discover their beach beauty by throwing aside body insecurities and wearing swimwear that truly represents them.
What was the inspiration behind Anna Carla?
There are many factors that contributed to the beginning of Anna Carla, but it originated from my experiences as a young gymnast. I grew up as a competitive gymnast, which I did for 9 years. For years I wore a very dull leotard, it didn’t represent my enthusiasm and the love I had for the sport. It made me feel unseen and not special at all. One day I was gifted a unique leotard. It was intricately detailed, with bright abstract sleeves, cuffs and a velvet bodice. It was so feminine and flattering. When I wore it I felt beautiful, the most confident I had ever felt.
Now 10 years on from my life as a gymnast, I now design unique swimwear and dancewear alike featuring my exclusive painted prints to make every woman realise how beautiful they truly are and to give them the confidence they need to shine.
What are your goals for the next month?
Over the next month, I have a campaign shoot for my second collection. I will also be organising a second photo shoot for the website photography in time for the release. I will be sewing the whole collection for this second shoot. I am aiming to release this collection mid-October. I will also be part of the ‘Night of Body Positive Fashion’ fashion show and a charity auction and will be collaborating with a local model on a portfolio fashion shoot. I will be applying for various opportunities leading up to summer, such as markets and fashion shows and looking into promotion opportunities for Anna Carla.
Where do you expect your startup to be in 3 months time?
In 3 months time I expect to have a clear understanding of the direction I want my business to go and am aiming to achieve, by setting adequate milestones. I will have at least 10 events organised for the summer months to promote myself such as fashion shows, blog articles publications, interviews and editorials. I will have 1000 followers on Instagram and a growing number on Facebook. I will be getting orders for the summer months from 3 custom orders a week. It’s very exciting!
