São Paulo – The bikinis and bathing suits of Brazilian brand Sur Beach Wear have only just arrived in Brazilian shops and are already heading in the direction of foreign markets. The United Arab Emirates, France and the United States are the first destinations for the products by businesswoman Sandra Valente, who launched the brand in São Paulo, in June. "I established the brand thinking about the foreign market," she said.
The order from the Emirates was a surprise to Sandra. According to her, a retailer from Dubai, who also has shops in Paris, visited her showroom in São Paulo and was enchanted with the bikinis. His first order was for 450 items, being 300 for Dubai and 150 for France. "I was surprised by the size of the order. This shows that he liked the products very much," said Sandra.
According to her, one of the differentials of the Sur Beach Wear bikinis is the finishing. "We dye the lining the same colour as the lycra the bikini is made of," she said. Apart from lycra, the businesswoman also used in the products a kind of glossy fabric, ciré, which brings to the items a modern look. Another difference in the collection is the metal work, which was developed by a jewellery designer. "It is a very feminine brand," she added.
As Sandra created the brand considering the foreign market, the bikinis are produced in three kinds of molds, Brazilian, American and European. To promote her products abroad, in July the entrepreneur participated in the Swim Wear Show, in Miami, where she signed orders with large shops in the United States, like Saks, Barneys, J Sisters and Passion, among others.
Apart from promotion of the brand at the fair, Sandra also already has a showroom in New York, which she also shares with other Brazilian brands. Of all the produce of the first Sur Beach Wear collection, 80% was exported. However, Sandra plans to turn 50% of the items she makes to the domestic market and 50% to the foreign market.
The businesswoman, whose company can produce as much as 10,000 items a month, is already planning her participation in new fairs abroad. "I have a team that is assembling a strategy for this," she said. Sandra stated that investment in Dubai is also among her plans. "I have great faith in that market. It is now my new focus. Everybody wants to be present in Dubai," she said.
European inspiration
The Sur Beach Wear bikinis are a mix of European summer references with a Latin touch. The name Sur, apart from being inspired on the beaches of southern Europe, where Sandra lived for three years [in Rome, Italy], also refers to the Southern Cross, which is only visible in the Southern Hemisphere.
Sandra has always been in love with bikinis. From the age of eight, she has collected articles. "I woke up and immediately put on a bikini," she explains. The idea of creating a brand arose one and a half years ago. Nowadays, in Brazil, the Sur bikinis are sold in shops in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Contact
Sur Beach Wear
E-mail: www.surbeachwear.com.br
São Paulo Showroom
Tel: (+55 11) 3849-5318 or (+55 11) 3846-9248
New York Showroom
Tel: (+1 212) 921-5079 or (+1 646) 361-4521
*Translated by Mark Ament
