Always the kid rocking a t-shirt at the pool, Co-Founder Jamin is no stranger to swim season blues. Poolside anxiety became as certain as sunscreen throughout his childhood summers in Los Angeles. In 2018, these insecurities intensified after he donated a kidney to a family member. The operation went smoothly, but didn’t leave Jamin unscathed: the surgery scars looked like he lost a knife fight, which technically he did. Between recovery weight and fresh scars, his body transformed.

Jamin couldn’t swim without stares and probing questions. He quickly grew tired of having to explain himself, having to excuse his body for simply existing. After years of hiding under unflattering swim shirts, he was ready to reclaim his strength on his own terms. And so, the idea of STRONGSUIT™ was born. 

Kerri has years of expertise in technical apparel design, with an extensive professional background in theatrical costuming. Having worked with countless body types during her tenure costuming a variety of theatrical endeavors from Classical Opera to Circus Arts, Kerri became an expert in developing clothing for a variety of body shapes and sizes.

Hello! My name is Masha and i am a surface pattern and textile designer from Boston, MA.

I was trained and worked as a graphic designer for quite some time before finding my way to surface pattern and textile design. While on maternity leave, I started sewing small accessories for my daughter, which resulted in frequent visits to fabric stores, where I would spend hours looking for the best fabric prints for my next project. One thing led to another, and soon I started working on my own patterns.

My designs always start off as freehand drawing or painting, as it is a more intuitive and fluid process. This part resembles sketching much more than producing finished motifs. Afterward, I use these sketches as guides when re-drawing them on the computer. I love bold color combinations, quirky motifs, and engaging subject matter, and am easily inspired by walks in nature, big cities, old books and new talent. Being a graphic designer in the past, I tend to lean towards crisp and clean lines of digital illustrations.

I am so happy I have found my niche in the multifaceted world of design and am always grateful to be able to work with up-and-coming brands

Hello! My name is Ava Ibañez. I am an artist and print designer born and raised in Miami, Florida. After graduating high school, I moved to New York City to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology, where I received my BFA in Textile/Surface Design. At FIT, my senior thesis was a collection of beach scarves and wraps inspired by my childhood, which further fueled my love for designing summer fashion. Being from Miami, I have always loved designing prints for swimwear because of the use of bold motifs and bright colors. Aside from fashion, I work full-time as a decorative artist for interior wall finishes, working on different kinds of projects for high-end residential and commercial spaces.

I approach textile design as a fine artist. I always sketch ideas out by hand before taking them to the computer to develop even more. I love seeing trends come and go and working popular trends into designs that still have my own illustrative hand. Working with Strong Suit has been an amazing opportunity for me to create eye-catching aquatic designs while supporting an amazing mission and philosophy.