Just Keep Swimming

Photo Courtesy Jon Stars

At just 21, Sienna Mae Gomez is making a difference in the world by spreading body positivity through her ever-growing business, Sienna Swim.

Growing up in Temecula, California, Sienna Mae Gomez recalls always being in a swimsuit.

If she wasn’t frolicking in her family pool, she was off to the beach to enjoy her favorite surf spots.

And when she wasn’t in SoCal, she was in the Aloha State.

“My parents both spent time in Hawai‘i growing up and they made it a big part of our lives, too,” says Gomez, referring to  her three siblings. “Since I was little, we spent weeks there and it kind of became a second home.

“My parents really prioritized showing us different cultures, showing us the world,” she continues. “We tried to travel as much as we could so our family could see different parts of how people live and (Hawai‘i) was just one place all of us were really drawn to and all of us really loved being (there) and just getting to learn more about (it).”

In 2021, Gomez moved to Hawai‘i with her brother, Jacob, and now-sister-in-law, Nikki. She’s now a part-time resident of both the North Shore and Los Angeles. This was also around the time Gomez and her mom, Dina, started working on Sienna Swim. They officially launched the business the following year.

Gomez and her mom built the business from scratch — designing the pieces, finding manufacturers, testing fabrics, getting fit models to sample the designs and setting up the supply chain. She admits the journey to creating Sienna Swim was not easy because she didn’t want to follow the fast-fashion path. Instead, she chose to emphasize quality and sustainability in order to produce products that would last. She notes that Sienna Swim is mindful when it comes to how many and how often products are put out. Many of its swimsuits are manufactured in Bali, where slow fashion is stressed.

“I definitely wanted to create a swimwear brand that felt different because buying swimwear growing up, I felt like there was such a big gap in the market, where it was super elevated and luxury or it was kind of more approachable and maybe a little more fast-fashioned,” says Gomez. “I was frustrated with what was out there and also for my body type; a lot of the suits didn’t fit well and I had a really hard time … finding ones that actually fit me.

“I wanted to build something that was going to make me feel good,” she continues. “I wanted to design something that did all of that and build a brand that felt safe and inspiring, and inclusive for women like myself who maybe grew up a little bit curvy and had a harder time finding swimwear that fit and made them feel flattering.”

According to Gomez, Sienna Swim’s mission is to help women feel powerful, beautiful and comfortable. She adds that she’s committed to creating feminine pieces that last and designs that flatter.

While Gomez may have been starting from square one with Sienna Swim, she already had a loyal following on social media (@siennamaegomez). Currently, she has 12.8 million followers on TikTok and another 1.6 million on Instagram. She says that in the five years she’s spent building her platform, she’s tried many different things but the one thing that really stuck was just continuing to be herself, embracing her strengths and finding her niche.

“I try to use my platform as a way to serve others — as a way to help others. Helping people whether it’s through swimsuits or it’s just through a caption about a hard day or some piece of advice I give or my testimony in sharing my own story and how that could help somebody,” she says. “I personally have struggled a lot with social media because it can be very cruel and people can project their own pain onto others. Sometimes, they tear you down without knowing that there’s a person behind the screen.

“In all honesty, the only way I got through that was through my faith and for my strength in God,” adds Gomez, who found her church and community at The House Established in Waimānalo.

“I obviously use social media to highlight the best moments, but I hope that I can inspire people who have that same drive as the 16-year-old me and motivate them to be who they are as well and to not follow along with the trends and have a voice.”

Since starting social media in 2020, Gomez has become somewhat of a swimwear connoisseur due to the amount of swimwear she was sent from various brands and companies.

“Swimwear was always kind of my thing from the beginning because it’s just been a huge part of who I’ve been for my entire life,” she says.

She remembers the first-ever bikini she designed in 2020. She went to her local Michaels and didn’t even know how much material to purchase. So, she grabbed 2 yards of fabric, a pair of scissors, a sewing needle and some thread and went off of what she thought looked to be her size and what seemed to be a good fit.

“For me, that was the beginning of it and wanting to create something,” she says. “I’m so grateful that we have a team that is so gifted at creating gorgeous pieces.”

In her first week of operation, her first collection of swimwear sold out. Since then, the business has expanded its customer base and product range, and even has a small, curated collection inside Kai Sallas Longboard Co. in Kaimana Beach Hotel. Sienna Swim has also been featured in magazines, including Glamour, Elle and Sports Illustrated, and has participated in major Swim Weeks, including Miami Swim Week.

Most recently, the business debuted its huge summer collection, Summer Heat, which Gomez and her team have been working on since Christmastime.

“I love this collection,” she says. “It’s probably my favorite so far.”

Her designs are known for their inclusive sizing, bold colors and hand-drawn original prints. Gomez says she draws inspiration from everywhere, whether it be nature or her travels. She says that every collection has unintentionally started with some kind of story or moment in her life — even from her own emotions.

“I like to create pieces that feel like something and have their own characteristics and something that you’ll remember wearing or feels very you,” she says.

Another thing that has inspired her is Hawai‘i.

“I think the pace and the nature and honestly the sense of community that I found (here) when I was 17, it all shaped how I designed, how I work and what I value,” she says. “I think that inspiration of Hawai‘i, you’ll see in the colors and the textures and honestly how we approach everything in Sienna Swim.”

It’s why it’s so important to Gomez that she give back to the 808 State, donating to organizations such as Sustainable Coastlines Hawai‘i, Maui Strong, Hawai‘i Foodbank and Hawaiian Humane Society, to name a few. She also makes it a point to work with local modeling agencies, such as Renew Artists Hawai‘i, for Sienna Swim shoots.

“I think with how much time I’ve spent (in Hawai‘i) … I have such a personal connection to Hawai‘i now — from all the amazing people that I’ve met to now people who’ve become my actual family,” she says. “I just try to be grateful for it.”

Gomez has been drawn to fashion for as long as she can remember.

“For me, fashion has always been self-expression and telling a story and showing your personality without having to even say anything,” she notes.

It’s the reason she created Sienna Swim’s sister brand, Routine, which she launched last year.

This line specializes in bamboo sleepwear and she has plans to expand into skincare and activewear.

She credits her mother for being the biggest influence in her life.

“My mom is the smartest person I know,” Gomez says. “I know she would laugh hearing me say that, but she’s very driven. When she puts her mind to something, it gets done.”

The entrepreneur has certainly inherited some of her mom’s determined ways. She’s also optimistic about the future.

“I’m excited for what I’ve done since 16 to 21,” she concludes, “and I’m excited to see what I’ll do from 21 to 50. I want to keep designing and storytelling — and just keep creating products that I know people are looking for right now.”

Visit siennamaegomez.com and siennaswim.com.