Emilie-Sophie Revereau | EMSO Swim

Age || 22

Company Name || EMSO Swim

Job Title || Founder + Creator

Years Living In New York || 20

Social Handles || @emsoswim

Company Website || EMSO Swim

What did you want to be while growing up?

Growing up I always wanted to do something creative. I always wanted to be an actress and create my own clothing line, and eventually it developed into being just obsessed with creating swimwear.

What’s the best piece of advice you were given when you were starting your brand?

A lot of people told me that things won’t happen overnight and that I have to put in a lot of hard work, but to believe in my product so that others believe in it as well.

How do you define success?

Success is being super happy with what you have cultivated, and seeing it make a positive impact on many people. I think in order to be successful you have to practice patience and accept every lesson you learn on the way.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned since starting out?

The most important thing is keeping track of everything! It is super important for me to make lists and tables, or whatever I need to keep myself organized so I can keep tabs on the business side of things. Since I am doing everything alone right now, organization is key so that I am on top of all aspects of the brand.

What is your go-to motivational quote?

I don’t have a specific quote but something my mother has always said to me was to “visualize.” As long as you can see yourself physically reaching a goal, you will get there. That doesn’t mean just visualizing yourself with a million bucks, it means to also visualize yourself completing the means necessary to reach that point.

What made you interested in starting EMSO Swim?

I have always loved designing my own clothes and I’ve always been surrounded by water. I grew up spending summers in the south of France, so I was influenced by the free nature people have on the beach. I really wanted to bring something different to bikinis by combining the different cultures that I’ve grown up around. At the root of it, I just wanted to share these ideas with other people and then I found myself collecting everything I needed to start a business.

Do you have a personal motto?

I would say my motto right now is simple: As long as you are passionate, you are capable. I’ve seen this be true so many times so I really believe in it.

Which women inspire you?

I have always been inspired by Oprah for her excellence and how she has accomplished so many things despite her hardships growing up. I am also inspired by the women in my family because they are all powerful people who are passionate and super hard-working.

How do you overcome moments of self-doubt?

When I start to doubt myself, I think that’s also when I start to compare myself. In those moments I just have to stop and remember how much I believe in myself and remind myself that everyone has their own process.

How do you balance your schedule?

So I mostly do the sewing at night because I find it more peaceful and calming. During the day is when I take care of any other kind of work, that way I can leave the end of the day for brainstorming ideas and sewing the bikinis.

How do you handle situations where you feel overwhelmed?

When I feel overwhelmed I try not to over-work myself. So I take a step back or take a day to refresh, and then I can come back to my work with a clearer mind. I think it’s just instinctive that we tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves but you have to be able to reset once in a while, or else you won’t be productive.

What has been the most rewarding thing since starting EMSO Swim?

I love seeing people wear my bikinis and feel good in them. It’s part of why I make them as well, and I just want people to feel comfortable and love how they look in them.

What advice would you give to other women trying to create their own business or brand?

I would say layout every aspect of the business and have a clear plan of what you want to do, because I had never realized how much goes into planning and organization. I would encourage them to pursue it if it is going to be out of love and passion for the product.

What is your creative process like?

I am inspired everyday by so many different things. Whether it is just scrolling through Instagram, looking at vintage runway photos, nature; I always save whatever I like so I can incorporate it into my designs right away or in the future. When I get an idea I sketch it out in my head, so I can later record it on paper and start hunting for the fabric that I need. Then from there I start sewing a sample and I just remake the style over and over until I’m super happy with it.

What are some of your goals moving forward for EMSO Swim?

Since I have just started the business, my goal right now is to keep introducing people to the brand and releasing new collections regularly. Something that I’ve always wanted to do is to open a pop up shop for EMSO Swim. But right now I just want to keep designing and putting out pieces that people feel good in.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.