Business Monday: Kona swimwear designer to represent Hawaiʻi at New York Fashion Week

At the prestigious New York Fashion Week in September, 25-year-old Jamiana Tan of Kona was invited to showcase her Native Hawaiian swimwear brand, Hilia Swim, on Runway 7.

She plans to bring Hawaiʻi-based models to the global runway.

New York Fashion Week is a series of events that include runway shows, designer presentations and digital activations held in February and September each year. Fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press and the general public.

Tan will be going to the next New York Fashion Week, set for Sept. 11 to 16 and will feature Spring/Summer 2027 collections.

Tan started Hilia Swim in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world slowed down and the ocean became a place of grounding for her.

Since she has lived in Hawaiʻi her whole life, Tan has dealt with swimwear that fits better than others with no rhyme or reason. With more time on her hands, she decided to try making her own that would fit perfectly.

“Everyone’s bodies are so different, and I felt that swimwear did not always accommodate that,” she said. “I wanted to make swimwear that would make anyone feel confident going out in pieces that fit them.”

She had never sewn before, but decided to buy a machine, cut her own patterns and teach herself different techniques through trial, error, persistence and tutorial videos. She kept practicing in her free time.

“My first suit was made for my younger sister, and that was the experience that set this in motion for me,” Tan said. “It wasn’t perfect, but it fit her so well and she felt confident. Soon after, some friends and other family members would ask me to make them one, which helped me practice my sewing skills.”

It did not take long for her to realize that her swimwear could be something she could sell. While Tan was working at the Four Seasons Hotel in Kailua-Kona, she decided she had the time to create a website and start designing more pieces.

Tan began drawing designs in her sketchbook, collecting fabrics she loved, and making them into various types of one-pieces, bikinis, swim shorts and pāreu (sarongs) for women, men, and keiki of all sizes. She created collections with pieces that people could custom order to feel more comfortable.

“I wanted to bring more options because everyone feels good in something different,” Tan said. “For me, I don’t like wearing strapless bikini tops, but I know many women do, so I made sure to design plenty of strapped, strapless and everything in between.”

Every piece is handmade to celebrate the individuality of every body.

“If someone wants a bikini bottom with more fabric, I can make that happen easily,” she said.

More doors began opening for Tan as she started bringing her stock to various markets and becoming a regular vendor.

“When I first started, I brought pieces to small pop-up markets around the island,” she said. “It wasn’t until 2025 that I got to bring a lot more of my collections to bigger markets like Merrie Monarch and Made in Hawaiʻi.

“Those experiences were awesome. There were so many people who were amazed that I hand-sewed everything myself and that feeling makes all the time and effort I’ve put into my designs worth it.”

Tan does not have a storefront. She brings her collections to markets across the island.

Hilia Swim’s next event will be at the Lovelei Event at Sangha Hall in Hilo on Saturday, Feb. 28, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tan also will be back at the Merrie Monarch Festival as a vendor at Nani Mau Gardens this year. She plans to bring at least 1,000 pieces, she said.

The business was going so well that in 2025, she quit her job at the Four Seasons Hotel to dedicate herself to Hīlia Swim, which recently hit its 5-year anniversary.

As of January, she has sold more than 7,000 handmade swim pieces, she said.

But she never predicted when she started Hīlia Swim that she would receive an invitation to show a collection at New York Fashion Week.

“Organizers saw one of my collections and reached out to me,” Tans said. “I was in shock. I never thought randomly buying a sewing machine would lead to this opportunity. As a Native Hawaiian brand, if I am given the opportunity, I want to give it to others as well.”

Tan’s goal is to bring local Hawaiʻi models with her to New York Fashion Week and give ʻōpio (youth) the chance to walk a global runway and give models an experience that is often inaccessible without leaving home or having industry connections.

“Bringing models from Hawaiʻi shows that we are rooted in who we are and where we come from,” Tan said. “This opportunity is about more than showing in New York. It’s about creating access and showing what’s possible when we invest in the talent we already have here in Hawaiʻi. Our people deserve to be seen on these stages, just as they are.”

To help with the financial costs of travel, lodging, fittings and production, Hīlia Swim is actively seeking corporate sponsors, community partners and individual donors who believe in elevating local talent onto a global platform.

According to a press release from Tan, sponsorship opportunities are available for brands and businesses aligned with Hīlia Swim’s values of quality, culture and representation. Sponsors will receive brand visibility during New York Fashion Week activations, press exposure, social media recognition, and the opportunity to be directly connected to a historic moment for Hawaiʻi representation in fashion.

Tan also started a GoFundMe for people to donate funds toward travel and accommodations, New York Fashion Week participation and production costs, and opportunities for local talent during the week.

For those interested in sponsoring or learning more about partnership opportunities, visit the Hilia Swim website or email Tan at hiliaswim1@gmail.com.