Elle Nage - Swimwear That Doesn’t Cost The Earth

I spoke to Tara Strachan about her debut line and her swimwear company, Elle Nage. I was delighted by her love of sustainability and her mission to make fashion more eco-friendly, with the release of her sustainable bathing suit line. Tara uses recycled plastics to make a sustainable material called Econyl to make her swimsuits and her debut line REVIVRE is vibrant in colour and is the epitome of fun! 

MR: What inspired you to start Elle Nage?

TS: I previously worked in Buying for a global fast fashion brand for 4 years, where I developed a passion for creating products, however I quickly became disheartened by the incredible amounts of waste and over production that the industry creates. I started to think there must be another way. So I decided to combine my industry knowledge with my love of the ocean to create slow fashion swimwear that people can be proud of, and will want to wear on repeat.

I wanted to create a brand to fill a gap in the market for a generation of women looking for a stylish, yet responsible approach to fashion at more affordable prices than other sustainable swimwear brands currently on the market. Shopping ethically is hard, so I wanted to make it easier by bridging the price-point gap between the over-priced brands and the fast fashion market, making sustainability more attainable and affordable.

MR: How did you come up with the name for the company?

TS: Having studied French at University, I was playing around with French expressions one day, because for me the French language evokes connotations of Mediterranean summers. The name came to me quite randomly, and I was so happy that it did, as I felt it was just perfect for the brand! ELLE NAGE means she swims in French. I love it because it has a nice mix of femininity about it (Elle meaning ‘she’), but also an element of power and strength (the ‘Nage’ part is a verb, an action, an empowerment).

MR: During the course of creating Elle Nage, what have been some of the ups and downs that you have encountered?

TS: Creating a brand during a global pandemic has not been easy and certainly has not been without its challenges. I created the brand in full lockdown in Malaysia, which meant I was unable to do a photo shoot or hire a model. In the end I had to model the swimwear mostly all by myself and my boyfriend, who has absolutely no photography experience, had to take the photos. Lockdown in Malaysia is very strict so we were not allowed out, and we were limited to our apartment block for the location – luckily our car park has some lovely evening lights! I felt very uncomfortable as I have never done modelling before, but I am happy with how it has turned out and I am very proud to be wearing and representing my own brand. After all, my brand is all about empowering women through celebrating real female bodies, so it felt rather appropriate.

MR: What advice would you give to anyone aspiring to start their own sustainable clothing company?

TS: I would say be prepared for the costs, as inevitably creating sustainable products comes at a premium. I would also say the best advice I was given when starting my brand was to just jump in and make a start. I am such a perfectionist and have a tendency to delay things until they are perfect; but this way things take so much longer and nothing gets done. At some point you just have to dive in and make a start, even if it is not quite as finished or perfect as you want it to be.

MR: Your company uses regenerated plastic waste to create your swimwear - what does that process entail?

TS: Discarded fishing nets are collected from the oceans, and old carpets are collected from landfills. The waste is then taken to plants where it is cleaned and shredded and broken down into raw materials, and is then regenerated into new fabrics that can be used again. ECONYL regenerated nylon has the same quality and performance as brand new nylon and can be recycled infinite times, forming a closed loop. As well as being a solution for waste, ECONYL reduces the global warming impact of nylon by 90%, compared with the manufacturing of virgin nylon from oil. 

MR: I love the sustainability values of your company - what inspired you to use sustainable materials for your product?

TS: I wanted to create a brand that keeps its impact on the planet at the core of its production. Given the environmental dilemma that we are facing, I believe that you simply cannot create a brand these days without thinking about sustainability and ethical production. More and more, people are making conscious consumer choices and wanting to know the story behind their products.

MR: What other steps have you taken to sustain your current sustainability model post-Brexit and throughout the pandemic?  

TS: I only started my brand at the latter end of the pandemic. But we will look to learn and improve our practice as we strive towards being as sustainable as possible. For example, one of our targets is to come up with a plan for end-of-life, so that when the time comes, you will be able to send your swimwear back to us to be reborn again, in return for a discount off your next order.

MR: There are more and more sustainable fashion houses emerging, do you think fast fashion will become a thing of the past in our lifetime?

TS: I really hope so! The levels of overproduction in the fashion industry are scary and this should become a thing of the past. I would love for us to revert to quality over quantity; to be concerned with quality design, cut and fabric rather than how cheaply you can buy something for. Sure, buying sustainable slow fashion is an upfront investment, but your money goes a long way as the product is designed with longevity in mind, and hopefully will be something you can treasure and be proud of.

MR: Your swimsuits are so vibrant and fun - the Ada and Andie being my favourite! Where do you get your inspiration from?

TS: Our style combines simple silhouettes with modern details, unique colour combinations and bold, playful prints.

Our debut collection 'REVIVRE' is a celebration of new beginnings. Wearing ELLE NAGE, you will be reborn after a year of hibernation and reborn with a fresh perspective of what is important. You will come alive again in our pieces that are, themselves, reborn from plastic waste and injected with new life.

Since our designs are regenerated from waste, each piece is a homage to uniqueness and identity; after all, when items are recycled, no two things are ever the same. Inspired by nature and raw, stripped-back beauty, we are putting the emphasis on imperfection and authenticity, instead of the constant strive for perfection in today’s society. From irregular spots and imperfect brushstrokes in our prints, to asymmetric panels and unexpected lines, our pieces do not conform to the conventional idea of "perfection".

Vibrant colours and bold prints are fundamental to the ELLE NAGE aesthetic. We want to evoke optimism, now more than ever and for our pieces to have an uplifting, empowering impact on the women wearing them.

MR: When designing new swimsuits what are the main things you think about?

TS: Swimwear is obviously a very unforgiving clothing item, so I think it is very important to make sure women are going to feel comfortable in it. Therefore our pieces are not revealing, but rather cover women in all the right places. I also think it is really important to design something that is timeless, so with regards to print I think it is important to use “non-prints," which are prints that don’t pigeon-hole themselves into certain trend categories, but instead span seasons. Lastly, I would always make sure I have a variety of different cuts in the collection in order to cater for a variety of body shapes.

MR: I love the little repair kits that you include with each swimsuit purchase - how did you come up with that idea? 

TS: Thank you! Well I was trying to think of innovative ways of using the off-cuts of the fabric in order to minimise waste. I thought the Repair Kit was a great idea as it ties in nicely with our slow fashion ethos and the longevity of our products. With the Repair Kit, the product that is designed to last can last even longer.

MR: Where can our readers find your product?

TS: You can currently pre-order our product on our Crowdfunding campaign at igg.me/at/ElleNageSwim. You can also sign up for exclusive brand information and updates via our website at www.ellenage.com.

MR: Name three things you can’t do without?

TS: My morning coffee, Baths and Baked beans on toast.

You can follow Tara here.

• culture
• ecofriendly
• sustainability
• sustainable fashion
• sustainable living