Creating safe spaces through fashion. Manakai’s commitment to body positivity.
As many of you may already be familiar with, our mission at Manakai is to offer sustainable and ethical swimwear made with you and the planet in mind. With that, we strive at every level to offer the core foundations of our practices to be built upon safe relationships with ourselves, each other and the planet. We hope to nurture positive affirmations and encouragement so that individuals may feel more comfortable celebrating their authentic uniqueness. At the beginning of every design process, our goal is to create products that cater to a variety body types, sizes and shapes and we are committed to expanding that variety as we evolve. We strongly believe that it is important for women to have access to a swimwear brand that celebrates diversity and inclusion. We have been known to offer custom sizing consultations for our audiences so that each Manakai purchase is a comfortably fitting match. Our design range has explored many adjustable and multi functional patterns to allow for flexibly and adaptability as well. We like to not only think about the production and look of our suits, but also the ways in which each piece functions and feels as they are worn.
The support and feedback that has returned to us for carrying out our mission has been undoubtably uplifting and transformative. In Nov 2020, Manakai’s designer profile was featured in British Vogue magazine who described our brand by stating “their philosophy is to celebrate and represent women of all sizes and ethnicities with vibrant pieces that flatter every shape.” The gratitude that we have for Vogue magazine is immense, and for us is proof that when individuals support each other, that love and support creates boundless networks for communities and discussions. Vogue has continued to be a source of support for eco-sustainable designers as well as body positive brands who are all helping to re-shape the fashion industry.
We believe that many individuals are ready and willing to let go of self-doubt and shame. So many individuals and brands are doing great work to re-introduce ideals supporting acceptance of our “flaws” and authentic forms. As we grow and develop, we plan to continually create opportunities to celebrate the human body's intuitive movements and inherent expressions. As our owner Kelley Chapman describes “I really enjoy connecting with all of our models one on one and I watch them completely open up and transform during photo shoots. It’s beautiful to witness.” For us, offering safe spaces through Manakai has given us the access to communicate with our brand in a very sacred way. It is an honor to show love, acceptance and encouragement to our community, while continuing to be mindful of our ecological impact.
If you happen to visit any of our social media sites (Insta:@manakaiswimwear Facebook: Manakai Swimwear) our hope is that even if you are not leaving with a purchase, that you are gaining an experience that supports your own positive self- affirmations. One of our recent videos features an affirmation created by Sierra Mann that speaks “I deserve to be loved and acknowledged at every stage of my metamorphosis.” Our goal is to encourage our community to practice self love and acceptance and to see all body types and stages of life as beautiful, no longer rare or different. Each and every one of us absolutely deserves to be loved and acknowledged. We see you and we love you.
Aloha mākou iā ‘oe (we love you)
