With a 2017 SELF Magazine award now under her belt, Sensi Graves couldn’t be more excited about her swimwear and accessories line. As one of North America’s top female shredders, Sensi knows what active women want and it shows in the line she offers. Sensi shares with us some of her bestsellers, what’s in store for 2018 coming in January and why less is sometimes more.
WOMEN HAVE LOTS OF SWIMSUIT OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THEM. WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE SETS YOUR LINE APART FROM YOUR COMPETITORS?
Our swimwear is different than many of the brands that you’ll find on the market because function drives all of our designs. Every Sensi body style is built from the ground up, meaning we make a custom pattern and refine, refine, refine until we have a piece that holds up after countless wears (some of our original customers are still rocking their 2013 suits!), is supportive, comfortable and stays in place.
Furthermore, our designs are put through the ringer by our team of athletes and every bit of feedback is taken into consideration as we evolve our body styles. No one bikini is right for every body but we’re constantly tweaking pieces to make them as good as they can be for as many women as possible.
Finally, our design aesthetic delivers a product that is never frumpy, which a lot of ”˜active swimwear’ brands tend to fall prey to. Our line really emphasize flattering prints, beautiful colors and fashion-forward pieces. This combination of function and style is what sets us apart and what keeps our customers coming back each season.
WHEN IT COMES TO CHOOSING A SUIT FOR A PARTICULAR BODY TYPE, WHAT ARE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS?
Try on a few options. Look for pieces that have support in the places you need it most, whether that is a suit with a thick under-bust elastic or tight straps. And don’t be afraid to try on a piece that you might not necessarily gravitate towards. There have been so many times when I make a recommendation of a style for a woman and they’re hesitant to try it but once they do, they fall in love.
It really all comes down to what you’re comfortable in. There’s no one style of suit that is great for every woman of a particular body type, which is once again why I recommend trying on a few pieces that you might have passed up. That being said, there are certain styles that tend to work better for larger chests (tight under-bust elastic, more fabric), smaller rib cages (adjustable straps), curvy booties (smooth lines, minimal elastic) and everything in between. The beautiful thing is that we’re all different and that’s why options exist! That’s also why my brand sells everything as separates.
Finding your perfect suit may sound hard but with a little insight and willingness to get naked, it’s really not! 
SENSI BIKINIS RECENTLY RECEIVED AN AWARD FROM SELF MAGAZINE. TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS.
We couldn’t be more excited about this award. We won the 2017 SELF Healthy Living Award for ”˜best two piece suit that won’t fall off.’ It’s so nice to be recognized for exactly what we’re trying to do. For the awards, SELF Magazine consults with a wide variety of trainers, athletes and gear pros across many disciplines to find gear that supports a healthy and active lifestyle. Some of their criteria include: quality of material, comfort and style but most of all, whether or not the item will stay in place while working out and makes you feel good while wearing it.
From the suits we sent for SELF to test, the Katie top and Elise bottom won the 2017 award. It is an honor to be shown alongside the likes of Athleta, Seea and Nike. This is a huge testament to the dedication we put into making our pieces the best they can possibly be and it feels really good to be acknowledged for that.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR BESTSELLING SUITS AND WHY? WHAT’S NEW FOR 2018?
Our bestselling suits are: the Dawn top, Colleen top, Claire top, Jennifer bottom, Emma bottom, and Lindsy bottom, although we have a few others creeping up the ranks. Each of our suits is named for a friend (such as Colleen Carroll) and I try to match the suit design with that friend’s personal style. These styles are supremely functional and flattering. They’ve also been core in our product line for a few years now and I think our customers appreciate having a style they can fall back on alongside our new introductions. For 2018, we are launching a few collaborations, namely in partnership with our athletes who have specific wants. One I’m really excited about is with one of our ambassadors named Alexa (look for her suit!) whom has a large bust but small rib cage. This makes finding supportive suits tough and it’s something that’s been missing from our offering for awhile now. I’ve learned that it’s impossible to please everyone but I’m excited about this suit because I really want to deliver a product that works for this particular body type and working with Alexa, we’re hopeful that we’ll be able to please a lot of people!
In addition, we’re launching rashguards and surf suits and we’ll be doing more ”˜Limited’ collections to showcase fresh prints and new colors with smaller production runs.
SUN PROTECTION COMES FROM MORE THAN JUST SUNSCREEN. WHAT OTHER PRODUCTS DO YOU HAVE THAT WILL PROTECT OUR SKIN WHILE CHARGING?
You’re right, sun protection is huge. For 2018, we’re bringing back our surf suit (long sleeve, zip back) to provide easy coverage. You can slip it over your bikini or wear it on its own. We also have a range of UPV 50+ (like all of our fabrics) leggings that we like to wear for SUP yoga, kiting (for those really long days in the sun), surfing and just hanging out at the beach. These pieces (along with our UPV 50+ rashguards) provide easy ways to be comfortable at the beach and wear your swimwear when you feel like you’re getting too much sun. The lightweight fabric is quick drying, stretchy and comfortable.
