An Ivy Invitation – MI OLA – Building an Authentic Brand in an Insta-Fake Time
What’s meaningful and lasting today?
We talk a lot about the importance of intent and mindfulness, and buy products endorsed by celebrities (Hello Kanye!) and fill our heads with gossip about Beyonce, the Kardashians, and other celebrity propaganda.
What succeeds more – in terms of exposure and sales – a product that lasts and changes your life or one that’s endorsed by a Kardashian? Celebrities are ephemeral and may matter more in their 15 seconds of fame than real talent, quality good and an excellent customer experience. If Kylie says it’s good…the product sells $1MM overnight.
So, how does a scrappy, sexy swimwear brand –that’s revolutionizing beaches around the world compete?
Helena Fogarty, founder and CEO of MI OLA-Sexy Swimwear that Stays on-will discuss building a meaningful, authentic swimwear brand that empowers women and lasts. She will share experiences and lessons learned from her first 3 years running MI OLA, the best swimwear for women who move. She’ll discuss:
- How to reach an audience and break through the media noise with authenticity
- The tension of selling swimwear via sexy imagery and media, while being focused on empowering women
- How she’s leveraging expertise and relationships from her days at Chanel, Ferragamo and Zac Posen
- Early stage monies spent to penetrate retail channels and how brands such as Warby Parker & Bonobos have blazed new trails for brands exploring direct-to-consumer models
- Raising capital for e-commerce, as a female and as an outsider.
Biography
Helena Fogarty learned to surf in 2006 and it changed her life. She got such a rush from surfing, she decided to leave her life NYC – working at Chanel – and move to Costa Rica where she could surf every day.
Once she was in the water every day, Helena had trouble finding well-made, chic, sexy bikinis that stayed on. So she designed her own luxury swimwear line, MI OLA, to provide active women with a functional, premium, sexy suit that stayed put.
Mi Ola’s motto is “Be comfortable in your own skin. Be secure in your bikini.”
Reception: 7:00PM
Discussion: 7:30PM
Cost: $34.96 per member and $47.53 per guest for RSVPs by Monday, May 30th.
$47.53 per member and $60.38 per guest for late reservations.
Fees for this event will be billed to the member’s account.
REGISTER HERE
This event is only open to members and their guests.
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