What inspired you to launch Tropic of C?
It was a childhood dream of mine. When I was 7, I used to take my mom’s leftover fabric — she was an aerobics teacher — and make my own little ʙικιɴιs. Growing up in the sun in South Africa, I always loved it. And when I got into modeling, I became kind of “the swimsuit girl,” and all through those years I would pay close attention to the fit and color and how they made me feel. That’s how I started brainstorming Tropic of C. The hardest thing for me was just to take the initiative to start it and feel confident that I could do it.
What finally pushed you over the edge?
I have a great South African manager who helped me, because one of the hardest parts is just figuring out where to start. People think it’s easy to start a business, but it’s really not. It’s all this legal stuff, branding… and literally every name is taken, even my own! I took a million meetings and some never went anywhere, but I still learned something from every one of them. It was during my pregnancy that I was actually able to focus on making it happen. Daniela [Manfredi, Swanepoel’s business partner and Tropic of C’s ᴀssistant designer] flew to Brazil to meet me, and we got along straight away and started talking about what the brand could look like. I can’t believe it’s been almost a year.
That seems really fast.
Yeah, I mean, we’re pretty on it. Daniela comes from a swim background, so she kind of knew what parts we needed to put together. She’s the one who goes to the factories and brings back fabrics for me to see, and we put it all together. Then you have the whole back end of the websites and the pH๏τo shoots, and that’s the part I really love — organizing the shoots and the look of the brand online and on Instagram.
And you’re based in New York now, correct?
I was trying to maintain a beach life in Miami, but I need to be in the office regularly, so I’m back in New York for a while. Sometimes I hate New York, but I always end up missing it and coming back.
What do you think sets Tropic of C apart from other swim brands?
I put a lot of energy into working on the shapes and making sure every suit is very specific and well-done. I take pride in the fabrics. They’re not just worn twice and look terrible, but they are pieces you can keep season after season. I have a weird thing with some of my clothes; they’ve been with me through important parts of my life and it’s almost like they have a soul. I’m attached to them. They bring me back to special times in my life and I hang on to them, as long as they are good quality. I feel like that is what Tropic of C is — it’s a brand you can rely on for good fit and good quality. Most of the styles look quite simple, but the reaction from people when they put them on is quite different.
What are some of your most popular styles?
There’s one called “Vibe,” which is a crop top with a higher-waisted bottom, that sells all the time. We have the classic string, which I love to wear every day. I love to use earthy colors, and I like to make color stories, so everything looks beautiful together.
How much do you let the numbers guide your decision making?
I have to pay attention to the numbers, but we have a business partner who has helped us get started because we’ve grown almost too quickly. At times it’s been a little bit overwhelming, but that’s a great problem to have. At times, we’ve underestimated the orders and run out of fabric, so we plan in advance and order larger quanтιтies.
Your fabrics are quite special — lots of recycled eco-fabrics — so quanтιтies must be somewhat limited to begin with.
Exactly. There has been a definite learning curve for me, but that’s good. I really would like for the brand to grow and maybe one day do clothing as well. We’ll see!