blú is an intelligent choice- be bold - be brave.
blú Swimwear is a woman-owned and founded business run by Heather Durst and Keri O'Shea. Unlike other swimwear brands, blú designs colorful swimsuits with thick material in a sustainable manner. All of its swimwear and packaging are created with recycled material and 5% of purchases are donated to The Ocean Conservancy. With sustainability in mind, these women created something truly one-of-a-kind and inspiring. Keri O'Shea said, "We had this incredible vision of an aerodynamic/hydrodynamic and fluid-looking suit." Continue reading to hear from the founders of this exceptional brand that can be found at Art to Ware!
KL: Tell me a bit about yourselves. What do you do? Where are you from? Etc.
HD: Hello! My name is Heather Durst and I am from Bedford, NY. I am a mom of one great boy named Griffin, and a mom to two donkeys, four goats, five ducks, 12 chickens, one horse, and four dogs!
KL: What is blú Swimwear? Tell me about its origins, the efforts it supports, and how it is one-of-a-kind.
KL: Talk to me about the importance of two women running a brand together.
HD: When Keri and I started the business, we knew that we had many other responsibilities. As most people know, most of the responsibilities of the family fall on women. So, taking on another job was scary but necessary. We knew we had a product that we had to make for a need that was not met. But we also needed to not be fearful of taking a risk at 50- telling family members that we have a dream that we want to follow and become financially independent on our own. Women often face challenges of status quo- not taking risks.
KL: What drives you? What pushes you to create the swimwear that you do?
KL: What does it mean to have blú featured in Art to Ware?
HD: It means the world to us to be hosted by such a creative brand in a space that allows us to have many different eyes on our product that might not otherwise see. “ATW” is a women-owned and run business which of course we love, but also has the creative look and feel we align with. I bought a coat and a belt from ATW the first week we connected with each other!
KL: What is your vision for the future of fashion?
HD: Fashion is so subjective in terms of look and excitement. What I do hope for is that small businesses like ours are given a chance to shine in a competitive world. If blú Swimwear is ever as successful as we hope, Keri and I pledge to pay it forward to other small fashion businesses so they have a shot at success. All the beautiful brands that are waiting to be discovered are exciting!
All images are courtesy of Heather Durst and Keri O'Shea.