Kylie Williams met her cofounder Amanda Pace at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Six years later they combined their joint passion for creating and designing swimwear pieces that make women feel beautiful. Kylie and Amanda, born and raised beach girls, started working 9-5 jobs in the design industry but shortly after realized they wanted more for themselves and their careers. This led them to the decision to become business partners and create a brand with a greater purpose that they’re proud to call their own. Amanda and Kylie are young, determined women entrepreneurs who are dedicated to creating a swimwear line that empowers women to feel free, sexy, and comfortable in swimwear fabric that’s luxurious to the touch and fits different body shapes perfectly. Their childhoods of living in swimwear by the beach gave them the inspiration to create something that will make women feel confident like they are Almost Naked.
What was the inspiration behind Almost Naked Swimwear?
In 2013, the goal was to create something different. Starting out in the attic of Kylie’s house, sewing randomly designed swimsuits that took hours on end. I think the realization came that I truly could create anything I wanted and that I could do it with my own hands (and the help of my grandmother of course). Back then, there weren’t many options of swimsuits. All of our friends would all buy them from the same place and end up accidentally matching on beach days.
How did you come together to create the brand?
Amanda and Kylie met at a fashion school in Los Angeles. Their friendship grew for about 4 years, they traveled the world together, and evidently discovered both their passion for being successful business owners, entrepreneurs, and that they both thrived in a creative environment.
How has your focus on your community shaped your business?
Living in Newport Beach, CA we are always at the beach and watching what our friends are wearing while enjoying all our CA weather activities. We are inspired by all the different bikinis we see daily and also by current fashion trends. We turn to shirts, dresses, etc. for inspiration, that’s actually where a few of our best sellers have come from.
How do you look to have a positive impact on people and the planet?
We want to have a positive impact on not only the planet but our customers as well. We want to promote positive body image, positive self-talk, all while having a positive impact on the environment by using recycled materials.
What makes Almost Naked Swimwear unique and different from what’s already out there?
We try to build a community rather than just sell bikinis. We really try to engage with our customers and let them give their advice on colors, styles, and we are working on featuring women on our blog each month to tell their stories about health, wellness, & fashion.
Who or what inspires you?
MJ Day and Camille Kostek from Sports Illustrated inspire us because they motivate women to chase their dreams and to never be afraid of being themselves. Women who run their own businesses such as Kristen Cavalari and Frankie from Frankies Bikinis as well motivate us to reach for the stars.
What is your ultimate dream for the business?
Our dream for almost naked is to be in stores worldwide. We love seeing women wearing our bikinis in different parts of the world.
What are your strengths?
Our strengths are having loyal customers, staying consistent, and engaging with our customers on all platforms of our social media accounts. We are also always trying to be different from our current competitors.
What do you think, how will bikini fashion develop in the future?
We believe the industry has gained so much knowledge on how much waste and pollution the fashion industry is involved with so going eco-friendly we believe will be the wave of the future in this industry.
Tell us what do you do as the owner?
Amanda handles marketing, shipments, and photoshoots. Kylie handles the production of bikinis, email marketing, website development, and returns and exchanges. We both work together on designs, colors, and what we want as the vision for the branding such as what the Instagram feed looks like and the vibe of our website and social media accounts. We actually go to LA together before the launch of each line and handpick the fabric and colors together and have so much fun during the design process! We have built such great relationships with our vendors, so it’s always a pleasure going up there!
How is fashion in the bikini world today than it was just a few years ago?
When Kylie first created the company in 2013, social media wasn’t as big as it is today. Influencers that were considered “big” had 10K followers. Nowadays there are so many different people and platforms to advertise on and people have much larger audiences. This has allowed bikini brands to expand on their collections and be more creative with their designs. Being able to promote directly to consumers rather than just a few photos on the website, in our opinion, has changed the way companies look at designing.
What is the one technology trend within your industry that cannot be ignored?
Influencer marketing is huge. If one model posts and tags your bikini the number of followers and traffic to your site can change overnight. We gifted a bikini to Madelyn Cline from the Netflix series Outerbanks and she posted and tagged us and we grew a few thousand followers overnight.
How do you keep yourself updated? What are some of the websites or magazines or apps that you subscribe to or read regularly?
We really get inspired by other female designers and women owned businesses. Also personal accounts of owners, Frankies Owner Francescaaiello, Kristen Cav alari, Womenontopp, Womenentrepreneurs. We enjoy seeing what they do in their day to day life and what they are reading and listening to.
What do you feel are the current trends in the fashion world?
String string string, The tinnier the better
What has been your greatest accomplishment so far?
Being featured in Sports Illustrated in 2020. Camille Kostek wearing our bikini! As well as Madelyn Cline, Dixie D’Amelio, and other TikTok stars. We gifted them our suits and they liked them enough to post and tag us.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Never compare your company to other companies. Follow your heart and stay in your lane. Consistency is key as well. Sometimes it’s draining starting something without seeing the instant growth but just keep going! If it’s your passion, it’s worth it.
What has been your favorite moment in your career so far?
We took our first collection to Bali to shoot all our content out there and I think that was such a fun and exciting experience and the content came out amazing.
Share two pieces of advice for female entrepreneurs.
1. Stay consistent 2. Stand firm in your beliefs. Don’t change to the world today, continue to promote positivity.
![From Music to Perfume: How did your background as a music teacher influence your transition into perfumery, and how do you incorporate your musical sensibilities into creating fragrances? I’ve always thought in terms of metaphors, and music has many that can be related to perfumery! Beyond just thinking in terms of top, middle and base notes [soprano/alto/tenor in choir], I approach each fragrant idea as a composition. When documenting my ideas, song structures often come to mind. As the scent brief is visited, I meditate on what the fragrance should convey - do I want to create an accord or a “chord” of fragrance note combinations? Do I want an a capella soloist (a particular ingredient to stand out more than others?) Many of my thoughts regarding song composition transfers to my scent formulation process, with me treating each note as an intentional soliloquy at some point.
Brand Origin: What inspired you to start Pink MahogHany in 2005, and how has your vision for the brand evolved since its inception?
An avid lover of all things pleasantly scented (with slight modesty), looking back in retrospect, it’s no huge surprise that I’ve created an indie perfume house with just an idea to provide unique options for those who may be sensitive to unnecessary pungency. Initially, I just wanted to evaluate various blends to note their aroma profiles when “played” together…it wasn’t until I had friends and family asking if I knew of brands that catered to those who may be on the more olfactory sensitive side, that I really began to take my research more seriously. In the almost 20 years that Pink MahogHany has been in existence, our micro visions for the brand have evolved to larger territory. Where Pink MahogHany used to only be a personal brand, we are now also a bespoke formulation service provider to other indie brands seeking unique fragrance offerings for their products. These products range from (but are not limited to) perfumes, candles, body butters and lip balms. Ingredient Transparency: You emphasize transparency and the use of desirable ingredients in your products. How do you select your ingredients, and what challenges have you faced in maintaining this standard?
Being an indie brand often comes with a set of assumptions and misconceptions - one of them being more negative than positive as it relates to ingredients used. There is a lot of “fluff” in the industry with labeling falsification. Because fragrance formulas are a trade secret, not every molecular breakdown of a material has to be noted on the ingredient label (it would be incredibly long), but we at Pink MahogHany™️ adhere strongly to the IFRA [International Fragrance Regulatory Association] regulations that state for common and potential allergens to be listed on our ingredient label. We’ve taken this a step further to also include these ingredients listed on our website to promote further transparency, all while protecting our intellectual property. Unfortunately, we’ve had companies to unethically sell lesser expensive “dupes” of our artisan perfumes, so as a way to create a better authenticity stamp, we make it our duty to be honest about our claims. If our perfume says “Rose Bulgaria”, it is in fact just that and not a component of rose being passed off as the source material. Collaborations and Custom Scents: Can you share more about your work with private label clients? What excites you most about creating custom scent solutions for other indie brands? I could easily sum this up in one word and say “Funding.” True, there is money out there, but I’m always thinking outside the box. Having a program that has an “Each One Fund One” mentality doesn’t exist (that I’ve been made aware of). Bootstrapping can be quite the challenge, even when you’ve reached the 6-figure mark annually. Competition to be seen and set apart is extremely high, so having quality packaging and branding is a must. There are lots of factors to consider, though when desiring to make upgrades. If there were a unique, tier-geared funding operation available, it would help perfume brands offset packaging and bulk material costs in the beginning stages.
Industry Challenges: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an independent fragrance house, and how have you overcome them to grow your brand? As the brand continues on the path of organic growth, I would like to expand our reach into schools, offering perfumery as an arts elective for middle and high school. I’d love to partner with botanists, farmers and horticulturists directly to grow and source raw materials for the students to work with in the creation of tinctures. My passion is getting back to nature as best as possible, as nature was my first “scent experience” as a child. We would also love to witness our fragrance creations being used to scent model homes, our focus diffuser blends being used in automobile dealerships as well as partner with Air Bnb and boutique hotels that specialize in highlighting minority, indie brands. Personal Journey: How has your personal experience, particularly as a divorced mother and someone who has experienced the loss of a child, shaped your approach to life and your work in perfumery?
Because I homeschool my twin sons, we are together a lot more than most, so one thing we all do is have moments of sharing where a neutral “floor” is laid to converse about anything. Though they are quite communicative by nature, I realize that sometimes I can be in work mode so much that it spills over into what should be our quality time. My sons see the authentic me and learn how to communicate through seeing authenticity. I’ve learned not to feel as if I have to be the epitome of perfection but allow them to see my imperfections vulnerably but with discernment. Having had two traumatic experiences pretty close together has taught me how to truly slow down and enjoy the simplicities of life - igniting a spiritual aspect that I’ve always carried but never fully explored…until Kenji’s sudden passing (2018.) Grief has a way of catapulting us into a quest for more meaningfulness in both life and business. After Kenji’s passing and my processing through the initial stages of grief, I was able to incorporate our spiritual bond into Pink MahogHany by way of essential oil diffuser blends for both focus and sleep and most recently aromatic perfume elixirs. It’s been quite the process channeling the void of his physical presence, but I also have peace knowing he can be honored in a great way through scent. I noticed once I began to be more open and receptive to spiritual signs, synchs and “winks”, more ideas began to flow. It’s been this way since his transition. Emotional Expression: Fragrance is often tied to memories and emotions. How does your personal life influence the fragrances you create, and do you have a particular scent that holds special meaning to you? My creative process is much more alchemic now, and I include Kenji by talking out loud to him, believe it or not. I’m a firm believer that when our loved ones transition from the physical plane, they are still present - just in another form. I choose to keep his memory alive by not pretending he never existed (even if for a brief period of time). I am working (slowly) on a book and accompanying fragrance, but I know it will require me to revisit some memories I’m not quite ready for, so until then, his big brothers will launch their debut fragrance, The Peaceful Tiger (they chose the name.) I’ve learned that even in what we consider “small things”, our transitioned loved ones want to be recognized and acknowledged. When the twins and I designed their fragrance label (with a designer out of the country that didn’t know anything about me personally), we had issues with the graphic - so much so that the designer asked if they could rework the design. When they sent the proof for approval, the Tiger was not only younger but sleeping, with an uncanny, angelic resemblance to baby Kenji! Becoming more aware and being more sensitive to my intention for launching a fragrance has definitely made room for more divine situations like these to occur. Healing Through Scent: In what ways has creating fragrances been a form of healing or expression for you, especially after the loss of your son, Kenji Mwamba? I know my sons may not necessarily want to be perfumers, but they definitely have an entrepreneurial heart. My desire is that whatever they decide to pursue (acting, script-writing, music or architecture), they know that anything is possible with the right amount of determination, grit, belief and immersion. One reason I chose to homeschool is so they could enjoy learning without restraint and have ample time to devote to their own separate passions and it still be fun. They know Pink MahogHany is theirs if they want it (many, many years from now - lol), and we are already discussing business structures for whatever they choose their role to be once I retire. Work-Life Balance: How do you find balance between your professional responsibilities and personal well-being, and what self-care practices do you prioritize? I’m not just a perfumer; I’m also a consumer, and self-care is huge for me. I often take salt baths to reset my energy and clear my mind after being around large groups of people or free a long day. I’m a habitual perfume sampler, and I have so many to choose from to wear as my “nightcap.” Even if just for 10-15 minutes, I cherish each moment I’m able to have some “me-time.” When time and co-parenting schedules permit, I’m definitely on a flight somewhere to indulge in some delicious food and mouth-watering mocktails!](https://www.womenontopp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_3812-1200x720.jpeg)
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