![kitty and vibe kitty and vibe](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/56/c1/be/56c1be35e5f4f72a067a00957348a3b3.jpg)
![kitty and vibe kitty and vibe](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/80/da/37/80da3774a3b442736d796ef02ab77fb4.jpg)
So the suits have different “vibes”-prints that come to your doorstep with a mood-boosting playlist that matches the vibe of the suit. That’s really where it’s from and this was like 2017 – think about 2016 the election and it was a huge women’s movement year and pussy power was there, I couldn’t call it pussy so I called it Kitty.ĬA: The “Kitty” truly speaks to the technical aspect and the “and Vibe” encapsulates all of the emotions that come with it. So that’s where “kitty” came from cause I was measuring their kitties. So I created this sizing metric that took into account differing inseams which usually means different butt sizes, so we had a longer way to go, so all of our bikini bottoms have two inseam options for every hip size. So women who had identical hips had totally different inseam sizes. And I have no experience as a designer or in fit, I just had a measuring tape and was like “I’m going to investigate.” I found that at her inseam – from her belly button to her tailbone – essentially her crotch – her “kitty” was the biggest differentiator. So, in the focus groups, I started measuring everybody. So, with our bottoms - my biggest complaint when it came to swimsuits was that I always had too much fabric in my bikini bottoms. Is that where the idea of calling the brand Kitty and Vibe came from? How did that come about?ĬA: First and foremost, you’ll notice the sizing metric is one of a kind. It wasn’t just dislike, but they hated it - it’s rare to have such negativity and so, I kind of created the universe from Kitty out of that same sentiment and wanted to create a product that actually felt positive that was fun to try on and made you feel seen and celebrated.ĬY: I think that’s amazing and something you said that really stuck out for me is the way a product can control us and not only control us but control how we see ourselves.ĬA: Completely! So we’re reclaiming that power and making it actually fun and seeing the product for the first time as a friend and not an enemy.ĬY: I love that – seeing it as a friend and not an enemy. 9 times out of 10 they loathed the shopping experience. I got home from the vacation empty-handed without a swimsuit and I started holding focus groups in my apartment in Manhattan and telling girlfriends to bring their friends and I just asked them to talk about their experiences with swimwear and found out, everyone was unsatisfied. I wanted a new swimsuit and went to a local boutique and had such a poor experience – tops too big, bottoms too small. So how it started was, I was at the beach with my family. It’s so broken and there’s so much opportunity. And as I looked at the industry as a whole, the that did carry a wider size range didn’t proudly show those sizes, it was still more often than not, a caucasian size 0 model, just not a clear representation of women in the world. It was really fascinating to me that a product had so much power over us. I think from a young age, every time I had a conversation with friends or with any woman when you’re shopping for swimsuits and you hear chatter around you, it’s such a vulnerable shopping experience, it’s such an anxiety inducing and emotional experience that oftentimes is so negative. This conversation has been edited for clarityĬhristine Yarde: Let’s start off with what really motivated you to take the plunge into plus-size inclusive swimwear.Ĭameron Armstrong: Yeah absolutely.