About The Creator

Aloha babes, Melanie here- owner, founder, and designer of Hanakini Swim! Delighted to introduce myself and tell you a bit about the journey and brand. I am a FIDM Alum, and although I did not study fashion design I always expressed my creativity through fashion and styling. I spent many years in LA in the fashion industry but never found my calling.

My journey began when I moved to Italy and spent 5 years on the road traveling to nearly 50 countries around the world. Got a taste for what I love, and now in hindsight realize I was gathering heeps of inspiration for a future project. I made my way through the beaches of Greece, Italy, Bali, Morocco, Australia and more. I always found my way to warm tropical climates.

In 2015 I met a Maui boy and we merged life near his family on this little rock a year later.

Hanakini came a year into my time on the island, for months I was cruisin' with my girl gang learning to surf, cliff jumping, and spending 12 hours in my bikini. I found a need to have swimwear that was so many things that I couldn't find. Practical, comfortable and cute without give me muffin top, true to size for my latina hips, and decently affordable. 

In 2018 I decided I was going to create a swimwear line that would solve the discomforts in bikinis I had as curvy size 6 woman my whole life. What you see today is compilation of everything I always wanted in swimwear from the styles all the way down to the models and shopping experience. We are the first swimwear brand in Hawaii to represent every size model in every style on our website. I still today work mostly as a one woman show but I am working on growing this self-made start up. Currently every package is still wrapped with love by me, and every design was inspired by somewhere special in the Hawaiian Islands. 

 

Please feel free to reach out, I am here to give back to you!

With love,

Mel 

xoxo