Today we’d like to introduce you to Breezie Collevechio.
Hi Breezie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up sewing costumes with my grandmother, who was also a designer. She was a very fashionable woman with a closet full of the most beautiful clothes, many of which she made herself. I would come up with very outlandish ideas of what I wanted her to make, and without fail, she could do it. I thought it was so cool to have an idea that you could turn to reality with your own hands. Without the advanced technical skills to tailor the way she could, we started small with simple bikinis and unique reconstructions of old jeans, jackets, and t-shirts. I love to listen to music when I design or sew, and I get really inspired by whatever music I’m into at the time. Most of my collections are rock n roll and more recently country inspired.
I moved to LA at 18 and went to school at FIDM. There I learned how to pattern draft, improve my sewing and conceptualize design more efficiently. Those early years of bikini and punk rock skirt-making remained where my focus lay. I have a fashion design degree and I can make a pair of intricately tailored pants, but I will always prefer reconstruction and simple designs where style and fit can really shine.
I launched Stardust Swim around 2017 and started selling my collection at the Melrose Trading Post, where I met so many cool and influential people who helped me grow to where I am now. I got really inspired by the trends in our city and the face-to-face interaction with my customers was so invaluable to me as the designer. I would overhear shoppers saying things like, “I wish they had these in my size” or “I wish they made these for guys,” I would always take that to heart and start offering custom-made suits for EVERYbody. The best thing about making swimwear myself is the full control of the entire process. It takes me the exact same amount of time and resources to make something in a size small as it does in a 5x and I’m so proud that I can offer that. There’s a lot more room for growth, and swimwear as an industry is constantly changing. I really want to contribute to size and gender inclusivity more as we grow!
With the launch of my 2022 collection, Rodeo Queen, I got accepted as a vendor at Stagecoach Festival which was probably my favorite experience as a brand owner yet. I was 8 months pregnant at the time of the festival and had so much fun with the swim to festival-wear fashion opportunities that I decided to launch a full festival line, Cowgirl Summer, last year.
Right before our son was born, my husband received orders to North Carolina, where he is now stationed with the Coast Guard. I am currently back and forth between CA and NC with our son Townes and figuring out what it means for me to be a full-time mom and a full-time small business owner. I took nearly a year off following his birth and am finally inching my way closer to the work-life groove that works for us. It was so fun to take him along to our last trip to Stagecoach. Next, I will be taking my collection to Magic Tradeshow in Nashville this April and have lots of fun bi-coastal events and shoots to come.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not a smooth road. When I got to the point where I had enough work to quit my retail job, I found myself almost broke with no way to pay rent once the summer season ended. All my orders had slowed down, and I didn’t know what else to do but bring my designs to the fleas around LA. That was such a godsend because I really feel like branching out in that way was the only way I could have grown from there. I was so nervous that people would hate my work; I wouldn’t sell anything and be out however much it cost me to rent a booth on top of the failure. I was so shocked that people actually wanted to wear my designs after coming out of a winter hole with next to no online traffic. Like I said that face to face interaction with my customer was worth everything I had. I think I am currently navigating another struggle as I try to figure out how to balance new motherhood and the other baby that is my business. It’s so true what they say; all your priorities change when you become a parent, and I’m honestly finding it really hard to allocate enough bandwidth to all the things that need my attention. I can find the value in times like these because I know when things lull, it’s because a change is needed. I’m looking forward to where we go from here, maybe I’ll start making kid’s rock n roll swimwear too.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I make both custom and ready-to-ship swim, beach, and festival wear. I specialize in custom work, made-to-measure swimwear, and fully custom fabrication, design, and tailoring. I am known for quality, customer service, and cowgirl vibes (haha)
I am most proud of the steps we’ve taken to make inclusive swimwear. I love that I can offer custom suits to precise measurements so there is no drop downsize restrictions. My Gender inclusive swim group was so fun to make, and I really hope I can progress more in that direction as well.
Pricing:
- Pre-made swim ranges from 45-100
- Custom swim ranges from 75-200
Contact Info:
- Website: stardustswim.com
- Instagram: @breeziestardust
- Facebook: facebook.com/stardustswim
Image Credits
Isaac Castillo
Koltin Sullivan
Maegan Grendell
