When I talked to swimwear brand OOKIOH's founder Vivek Agarwal about how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting his business, he made one thing predominantly clear: the industry message is not to shop right now, but to support. One scroll through Instagram makes this clear, but particularly on OOKIOH's page, where a link to the MaskForce NYC Go Fund Me Campaign sits in the brand's bio. "It doesn't necessarily mean spending [directly on the brand's site]," Vivek told me.
OOKIOH is known for regenerating ocean waste to make its quality swimwear which is why it's my absolute favorite swim brand, and also why I am not at all surprised that the label is leading the charge in optimism during an economic crisis. "I believe that as the world grapples with the new normal, scientists and researchers across the world are trying to find a solution for this pandemic and they will. I am hopeful that, together, we will soon be able to flatten the curve, and, the uncertainty of tomorrow will no longer exist. People will celebrate life with vigor, and that would help the sales," Agarwal said of his general prediction for the future.
While people are still consistently searching for swimwear right now - perhaps as a method of escapism or to actively prepare for summer days ahead - shopping for a beach look is not exactly top of mind and may feel like an unnecessary purchase, especially when travel is restricted and so many vacations have been canceled. We had questions for Agarwal that revolve around one key topic: how does a swim brand fare during a time like this? While Agarwal's responses are only specific to OOKIOH, they likely represent the scope of fashion swim labels around the world. Scroll down to see what we learned.
