hand-MADE on Kauai Series

While being one of the most renowned vacation destinations today, the island of Kauai is actually either missing or unrecognizable on most maps. All 1,430 kilometers of greenery and waterfalls in the middle of the Pacific offer some of the world's best produce, products, people, and places on the planet!

KaiKini Bikinis is a locally owned and operated, hand-MADE on Kauai, and is the largest bikini manufacturer in the state of Hawaii! Being located at least 3,000 miles away from any major city and shore line only makes us appreciate and value our out-of-state and international customers even more!

As I walk into headquarters today, music is bumping while Kristen and Kim are running production, Allison (model) and Keith (photographer) are photographing new arrivals, Desirea is marketing and processing sales, and Taryn is directing the whole show.

Everyone was in their own element, zone, and specialty- flowing gracefully. Mama said they'll be days like this! She also warned that there would be days in which you aren't as fluid. Times when you'll be faced with bumps in the road, and the inevitable question of why are you not so inspired?

For anyone on a daily basis it's a rut we know all too well. You snack a little, check your email, scroll through social media, edit your selfies, and drain your brain of motivation while trying to squeeze out of yourself any shred of inspiration.

But maybe the inspiration doesn't come from you. Maybe it comes from other people and requires you to put yourself in their shoes and to see the ambition from their point of view.

Looking around at all these talented people, I found that that kind of empathy breaks my writers block and in turn gives my position and voice an opportunity to represent everyone around me.

I think of all the beauty and talent in Kauai and my community and can see where KaiKini's design inspiration comes from. The blues of the ocean represent the teal, white set suits, the glowing Polihale sunsets radiate both magenta & neon nights collection, and the Aloha print represents the colorful spirits of the people.

As you can guess, our next series of blog posts all stem to honor the community and environment in which we create our bikinis and reside, Kauai- Hawaii.

KaiKini would also like to challenge our readers to ask yourself, where do you come from, who is surrounding you, and what influences your thoughts and behavior when you create? Let us know!

Step outside and consider that the creative process is NOT only about you, but instead you are an honorary channel for others. Lets help make something of each-other!

Hand-MADE on Kauai with Aloha- KaiKini Bikinis
Mahalo-Kona-Kai

P.S- stay tuned for posts through out the week of Kauai Made features!

Meet the Meanest employee at KaiKini

Okay... maybe she's not really the Meanest... but her nickname IS Mina! Our a capella singing, paper-cutting, cookie baking, stranger-than-strange(-in-all-the best-ways) movie critic does more than help sew each and every bikini - she makes sure they all meet our rigid quality standards and look perfect before reaching your mailbox. With her artistic flair she's also great at helping solve design problems and has helped bring some of our newest styles to life! Hooray for mean girls! Read on to learn more about why we're so thankful for Miss Mina...

Name: Marina Loew

KaiKini Position: Quality Control Manager & Seamstress AKA The Cookie Monster

What’s Your Sign: Cancer (June 25)

Hometown: Dryden, NY

Favorite Color: Fall Colors (at the moment!)

Favorite KaiKini at the moment: Kahuna bottoms!

Favorite thing about working at KaiKini: Other than the awesome group of girls I work with, I’d have to say that one of the awesome things about KaiKini is that it’s the first job where I've been able to put my art degree to good use. Education money NOT wasted!

What’s the last book you read? 

“Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline. As a closet gamer and RPG addict, I LOVED it! 

Stripper Name (middle name + first road you lived on):
Sophia Lake…which sounds more like a cross between a stripper and an opera singer

Theme song at the moment?
I’m currently on a sick-of-all-my-music-especially-if-it-has-words kick (yes, random), so I’m gonna go with one of my favorite songs from the Amélie soundtrack, “Comptine d’un autre été, l’après-midi” by Yann Tiersen.

Any secret talents you’d like to reveal?
Not really a secret, but I've been a weaver since I was two and used to teach classes back in high school. I've got my own floor looms and everything.

What inspires you?
Art. Particularly from the Renaissance and Art Nouveau eras. And the amazing brush strokes of the Impressionists.

What are your hobbies outside of making bikinis?
If you haven’t guessed it yet, it’s making art. Knitting, painting, paper cutting, needlepoint, lithography, encaustic, carving, beadwork…if it’s a form of art, I’m doin' it.

Favorite way to stay fit?
Outrigger paddling. The main reason (other than Kaikini, of course!) that I’m still here on Kauai.

Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas?
Can I answer “Hallothanksmas”?

Any secrets you’d like to reveal?
I joined an ocean outrigger club to face my fear of big waves.

What’s your favorite childhood memory?
Sappy answer, but my sister is my favorite childhood memory. Having ‘bull fights’, designing our own parachutes and testing them out on our dolls by throwing them off the balcony, water ballet in the St. Lawrence, getting buried in the ditch by the snowplow, bribing her with my stashed Halloween candy…we've been on a lot of adventures. Love you, sible!

What are you giving thanks for?
My island ohana; for embracing me so warmly and making me feel at home even when I'm so far from it.

Reversible is here - 2 in 1!!

We are so excited to reveal our REVERSIBLE and SEAMLESS 'Kinis! Yes, you heard me correctly - we're bringing all the best of the bikini world into one amazing suit. Combine our super high quality with seamless design and we are confident we've made the BEST bikinis in the world! (Now's no time for modesty - we're really excited!) Ok, we admit it, we're a little late to the seamless/reversible party, but let us explain... we have been working for months to ensure our seamless 'Kinis are the best out there and live up to our high-quality standards.

I've had the pleasure of trying out a couple of our new seamless designs over the past few weeks! They've been hiking, surfing, SUPing & kayaking all over this little island and WOW! Our new seamless design is so incredibly comfortable and I'm also excited to have a bottom without scrunch (I like to mix it up every now and then)! This little 'Kini that could stayed on playing in one of the heaviest breaks on the Westside of Kauai.

I also have been surfing in a new style that will make its debut next month sometime. It is a 3-String Okole style offering a little more coverage than some of our other 'Kinis and a slightly higher waist as well (thanks for the inspiration Marina)! Seamless comfort with sexy cutouts on the side and our signature scrunch back is the perfect mix of style and function. I can't say enough about this suit for my active and adventurous friends. This suit DOES NOT BUDGE in the waves. Almost every suit needs a little adjusting now and then, but not this one - I'm in love!

Our first Reversible design will be available for pre-order later this week in our ALOHA print (shown below)! It reverses to one of our favorites - Seafoam - and there will be a matching reversible top. This print reminds us of a tropical vacation and is perfect for summer. Did I mention its reversible? That's like two suits for the price of one!

What better way to introduce our new reversible and seamless designs than to say A - L - O - H - A!

Flattery or Foe?

Aloha 2014! 

Working in the bikini world is amazing in so many ways. With our Kinis being made by hand right in the studio, we have the rare opportunity to test out new ideas on the fly. With bikini styles constantly evolving and our ever growing desire to stand out among the crowd, we find ourselves inspired to create new designs quite often. On this particular Thursday, I watched from my desk as Becky and Taryn brainstormed to bring a new seamless design to life. Although I can't sew (but wish I did!) the girls asked for my feedback throughout the process and after an hour or two of trial and error we had a prototype! Our first reversible design was born.

It’s always challenging and exciting to bring new, unique designs to the bikini world. Over the past few years, we’ve found companies creating designs similar to ours or using our images without permission or giving us credit - it’s an inevitable part of the business…but it isn't always deliberate. Soon after releasing a pic of our new prototype, we were notified by another bikini company that we were close to infringing on their pending patent. 

"Oh no! Is our new design not original?!" We investigated further and were relieved to find out that their design was actually quite different from ours. "Phew!"

Situations like these can be frustrating, but we also find ourselves unexpectedly flattered. Flattered that another company considered us competition enough to reach out and warn us against making something similar; flattered someone wanted to use our designs or images to represent themselves or their business; but above all, it keeps us relentless in our pursuit of the perfect Kini! That’s why we’re constantly improving our designs and creating new styles as bright and adventurous as our wonderful fans!

We’ve got some exciting designs and announcements coming for 2014 and can’t wait to share them with you!

Xoxo!

Andrea