Meet Sara Requena | Founder and Bikini Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sara Requena and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sara, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
My favorite quote would be “El que cree, crea” in Spanish, it means: one who believes, creates. This has been a fundamental concept throughout my life. When it comes to dreaming big, taking risks, and getting things done, I always say that you have to be your number one believer. It’s helped me trust myself and my decisions, and it keeps me grounded in the sense that I know I am in control of my life! As long as I believe in me, my vision, and my purpose, there is nothing I can’t achieve.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Tinye Swimwear (pronounced tiny) was born from a desire to inspire confidence and normalize feeling your sexiest when you put on your favorite bikini. Before I started designing, I had a collection of over 500 bikinis – yet I still felt like I was missing that perfect one that I could throw on and know I would look good no matter where I was going. Practicality and comfort were my top priorities – I did not want to worry about tan lines, awkward coverage or low quality fabrics, I just simply wanted a classic, sexy bikini that would highlight my body’s best features.

Of course, some bikinis existed on the market that met my needs, but they all came at a hefty price. I refused to pay ridiculous prices for minimal fabric, so I knew that I wanted to make Tinye Swimwear affordable and accessible to the everyday beachgoer. I studied all of my favorite pieces, what I liked about them, what I would change, the fabric compositions, etc. I bought my first ever sewing machine and some fabric samples. I sketched and measured and sewed until I was satisfied with my first ever sample: The 001. The perfect bikini set.

I silently worked on developing the brand. I did everything myself! I started by amassing an audience is social media before launching. I remember when I was ready to go live with the store, I expected sales to start coming in immediately. I was completely in love with my product, so I assumed people were ready to buy! I was wrong, haha. My first sale did not come in until over 24 hours after going live. Looking back, one thing I would have done differently is not be afraid to be associated with my brand. I really did not heavily promote Tinye Swim as my own for the first few weeks, so people who saw me on social media just assumed I was promoting someone else’s brand.

Impostor syndrome is very real! I did not go to school for fashion or design, so owning my title of designer took a bit of work. Once I started believing that I am capable of designing, running a business and more, the impostor syndrome began to quiet down. I am my own biggest fan. Consumers love to know who is behind a brand, which is why you’ll often see me on Tinye’s socials. I’ve learned to capitalize on my strengths and delegate my weaknesses. Finding the right people to partner with is key to not spreading myself too thin. My biggest advice for anyone wanting to pursue entrepreneurship is discipline and consistency over talent! Working steady and moving forward consistently is what will get you results.

Tinye Swim has created a community of women around the world that love themselves, are empowered to wear what they want and feel unapologetically good. I’ve always said there are no requirements to wear a small bikini, all you need is confidence! I am proudest of passing along that sense of empowerment and sexiness to anyone who comes into contact with my brand. When they tell me that they found they favorite bikini in my store, that they feel sexy, that they wear it all the time, or that they get compliments on it, it makes it all worth it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, so a good Venezuelan breakfast or American brunch would be necessary. Of course, we would hit the beaches so we can rock Tinye Swim together! I love the colorful umbrellas where the big hotels in Miami Beach are.

In downtown, I love riding the metro mover to get sick views of the city. I’m very big on people watching, so Bayside would be our next stop for some churros and tourists sightings! You get to see so many people coming from different places. It’s great to see Miami from a tourist’s point of view.

The park by the PAMM and FROST museums is one of my favorite spots in the city. They have a dog park and a stunning waterfront trail. Perfect for picnics or to throw a hammock and lay by the water as you watch the cruises.

Wynwood has a great colorful vibe perfect for anyone in the creative business to appreciate. So many great small businesses and different foods to try! But I definitely have to stop for pizza at some point. Miami Slice, Joe’s Pizza and New York Pizza are my top three spots for an amazing, classic, NY-style pizza. This is a must.

At night, I’d love to take you to a rooftop bar. Somewhere with an amazing blend of music styles from electronic to latin beats. I think Miami has a beautiful skyline that can be appreciated from high up.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to thank my mother, my father and my brother who since day one have supported me in every idea and have encouraged me to chase my dreams. Your love fuels me. I also want to thank friends and industry professionals who believed in my vision and helped it come to life. There is power in collaboration.

Website: https://tinyeswim.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinyeswim/

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@tinyeswim

Image Credits
Samuel Koesling Jorge Abuin