The Story
The Moussi story, as told by founder Kirstie.
The makings of Moussi have been on my mind for as long as I remember. I have always had a love of travel and that feeling of freedom and lightness that comes with getting dressed for the day in swimwear. But while the times spent in swimwear are joyful, swimwear shopping is a notoriously stressful experience for many women.
Nowhere could I find the swimwear I wanted that combines support and comfort with aesthetics and figure-flattering cuts. I wanted to create swimwear that actually fits and works with women’s bodies. That makes women feel amazing so we can enjoy these often too-fleeting moments of ocean swimming, poolside lounging, out of office, sunshine-serotonin joy.
Sewing lessons in Essaouira, Morocco
Handmaking prototypes
I had taken a different path professionally, but after the pandemic I took a career break. I booked a one-way flight and spent most of the year traveling around Africa. It was a beautiful experience in so many ways, but there were a few things in particular that helped manifest Moussi.
I spent every day I could swimming in the ocean. The water is nourishing, but I was reminded of the struggle to find swimwear that fit well, felt great to wear, and that would last through all my travels.
In Africa, across the 8 countries I spent time in, there is so much creative energy. I spent my time in art galleries and fabric markets, connecting with artists and artisans, and to my own creativity. There is a rich textiles and tailoring tradition across the continent and I became connected to the process of sourcing beautiful fabric, designing a piece, and seeing it created.
Swimming in Dakar, Senegal
Exploring Boulders Beach, South Africa
On my return to the UK, I started the process of creating Moussi. I hand stitched prototypes together, spent a long time sourcing the best quality fabric and manufacturing, and iterated each piece to the millimetre to ensure they were the form-framing fit that I could never find.
The story of Moussi is really the story of how I reconnected with myself; the swimwear a product of a love of travel and of textiles, and of wanting better for women. And I’m so grateful for the journey.
Wishing you endless Moussi girl summers,
Kirstie x
Textile boutiques in Accra, Ghana
Exhibitions in Abidjan, Ivory Coast