December
23

Happy Holidays from MI OLA! || Last minute holiday gift guide

From our mermaid family here at MI OLA to yours, HAPPY HOLIDAYS! If you have been a tad bit too busy getting out there this holiday season and are just starting your shopping, we have you covered (literally and with our surf bikinis that stay on!) — check out our top five last minute gift recommendations for the active mermaids in your life.

  1. Meal subscription service from Green Chef or Sunbasket. Perfect for mermaids on the go! Both offer USDA-certified organic meal kit (which covers synthetic pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, and GMOs) — choose from five different menu types—vegetarian, omnivore, carnivore, gluten-free, or Paleo—then the delivery date. They deliver the ingredients (at a cost equal to purchasing at the grocery store,) and you look like a gourmet chef, while eating clean.
  2. Spotify Premium subscription, because there is nothing like being in the groove and staying in the groove (no pesky ad interruptions!)
  3. She’ll breeze past the security lines at the airport in about five minutes with Clear! Currently at 16 airports (and expanding), Clear is TSA Precheck, but BETTER! Say goodbye to those lines! Some airlines are even offering a discount on Clear with air miles membership so be sure to check with your preferred airline!
  4. No more worrying about if her sunscreen will arrive in time before jetting off to a tropical paradise with a subscription to Amazon Prime. Two day shipping and special deals for members? Done.
  5. A gift certificate to MI OLA so your mermaid can pick out exactly what she wants.

P.S. If you love Amazon as much as we do and really are a last minute shopper, in select cities if you order by 9:30AM local time on the 24th, you can have the gift delivered same day.

P.P.S. For some extra holiday cheer, check out this video, Christmas Spectacular, featuring Rose Bertram wearing MI OLA!

October
30

What makes us get up and #getoutthere?

We created MI OLA with 2 goals.

1) To revolutionize swimwear by making dreamy, quality bikinis that look fabulous and stay on, and

2) To make a positive impact on the world.

While working hard, listening to our consumers and sweating bullets to make this happen we’ve achieved something even more exciting. We’ve energized a movement of radical women, who get out there every day, who are more comfortable in the water than out, and who want positivity…at all costs. This is our tribe… and this is our Manifesto.

A few of our tribe.

We jump, dive, run in. No inching in for us or using the stairs.

100% committed.

NO P L A N B.

We create waves in the water, kick up the sand, run up hills, climb mountains, hike across valleys and sparkle in cities around the world alike.

Our mermaids and sirens sing with joy as they Chase more. Do more. Be more. Our goal is for all women to embrace a more confident day and self wearing MI OLA

Always dreaming, thinking, imagining. But WE never sit still. Each day WE rise to ‘Get Out There’.

More Disruption. More Influence. More Action.

We design our products using innovative materials that last. No tugging. No yanking. No adjusting. No pulling. Everything we make is appealing and functional. If you can’t use it WE lose it.

We are revolutionizing, re-inventing the swimwear game, so you can do more of what you love. Less stress. Less fuss. More FUN!

This isn’t a dress rehearsal. It’s a MOVEMENT.

A lifestyle for women who seek adventure.

A voice for women that fight for freedom. A vehicle for women to embrace transparency & honesty.

Think for 1 moment how much power you have, and what you can do with it.

Now go and inspire us.

You think we’re not afraid? You bet we are.

We embrace the fear and jump anyway.

WE ARE

June
5

Extra Extra! MI OLA in the News!

Extra, extra, read all about it!!

Sometimes we get our heads buried deep in designing (awesome) bikinis, doing inventory, and running financials. When we see you #GettingOutThere in your MI OLA, we get so stoked!

@mermaidclara by @ryzphoto

@sarahannshowell

We love how you constantly push MI OLA to the limits - from hour long surf sessions, sand volleyball matches, stand up paddle board races, to running after your toddler at the beach. You bring a smile to our faces when we see you rocking MI OLA on Instagram.

@babeinthewaves

AND we are so thrilled when MI OLA is in the press! If you have discovered MI OLA and how awesome it is to have a bikini that keeps up with you and stays on, welcome to the MI OLA family! Below are a few shots of our recent press. (THANK YOU, Editors!)

 

LOU LOU Magazine - Canada

Toronto Life and Fashion

Toronto Life and Fashion

P.S. We would love to see how you #mioladventure …tag us in your next with your MI OLA suit with hashtag “#mioladventure” and if we use your photo we will send you a discount code! AND to get inspired every day by our MI OLA team, follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

December
26

2014!

WHAT. A. YEAR!

From New York City to Costa Rica to all around the world, we’ve had a a crazy, but awesome year. Awesome as in…

Our Team Athlete Bailey Rosen kicked some behind in Oahu and then went off to California to start her freshman year at UCLA,

Our Brand Ambassadors have been #gettingoutthere all around the world,

muses_susi_stingray

muses_izzy_turtleSelfie

We learned some pretty cool things about the science of waves and surfing,

 

Photo Thomas Green

Got some pretty great local surf knowledge for Rockaway, Tamarindo, Rincon, the North Shore, Christchurch, and Moorea,

We took the pledge to check our boobies once a month for the #checkyourselfie campaign,

AND not to mention we had a bitchin’ photo shoot right here in Costa Rica for our 2015 look book.

So what is on tap for next year???

How about some new prints AND a super sexy one piece…. more women discovering MI OLA and #gettingoutthere, Oh, and hopefully a pretty rad surf trip…to Pavones so we can work on our backside. That is, our backside surfing!

So shiny, so new!!!!

 

 

 

September
11

York Surf <3 MI OLA…. and we love them right back!

Back when we were surfers disguised as City gals, York Surf was one of our go-to blogs on all things surf related in New York City and beyond. So when they reached out to us to interview our very own Chief Bikini Officer Helena Fogarty, we were beyond stoked! Check out the interview with York Surf below!

Interview – Helena Fogarty Founder of MI OLA

To say we are a little obsessed with bikinis is an understatement – especially ones that are designed to stay on when surfing. So when I ran across the stylish and fashionable bikini brand MI OLA we wanted to know more. We talked with Helena Fogarty, CEO and founder, about how the brand came to be and what sets their bikinis apart from the rest.

You are living the dream of every NYC surfer by living in Costa Rica to surf. How difficult (or easy) of a decision was it to move away in chase of waves?

The day after Christmas in late 2008, I went into work for a big meeting. One that I thought would end in a promotion, as everyone was telling me. Instead, I was unexpectedly laid off. I thought I was going to run this company eventually, with one of my best buddies who worked there. The rug got totally pulled out from me. It was a total shock and I wasn’t sure what to do. I threw my normal annual New Year’s bash, and then booked a trip to Costa Rica for 2 weeks.

I had always had a lot of reasons keeping me in NYC, though I always wanted to live abroad. I had been in a long relationship that had broken up a year earlier. My job went away. I had been learning Spanish for an eon, and even dated my Spanish instructor to get the full “immersion” but it just wasn’t taking. When I was down in Costa Rica surfing, my friend who came with me tried to convince me to stay for another month (Her live-in boyfriend had just broken up with her via email while we were there).

I wasn’t ready for that, but I did go back, tie up loose ends and decide to move for a month to CR in March. I live in a tiny surf town, and it’s a big change from Manhattan, so I wanted to see if I’d like it. I did, and then came back to pack up my stuff in storage and look for someone to rent my place.

When I first moved here, I surfed 4 hours a day and took Spanish 4 hours a day. Now that I have a business and a 3-year-old named Mini, I surf a little less.

I wasn’t sure how long I’d be here in Costa Rica, and it’s turned permanent. Luckily, I get to go back and forth between NYC and Costa Rica, so I get to experience both the ying and yang of a small town in CR and coming to NYC each month for good friends, good wine and lots of meetings. If I didn’t get to come back, I don’t know if I could live in CR 100%.

Brand Ambassador Ginger Harris

Can you tell us about the first wave you caught?

I learned to surf at a surf camp called Swell Women in Maui. It’s an all female camp that also is vegetarian and incorporates yoga, journaling, a visit to a psychic and other cool things. I was there to surf. I think the other participants were there for more of the overall experience. My first wave was such a rush, that all I wanted to do for the rest of the trip was surf. There were days when no one else wanted to surf, and I was the pain in the butt camper that made them go out so I could catch a wave. After that, I returned to a cold, flat June in Rockaway and made my buddies come sit with me in the cold rainy days looking for waves. After the flattest summer I can remember (and I’m from the Rockaways), I booked a trip on Labor Day weekend to Costa Rica – to Witch’s Rock Surf Camp, and had an amazing time! And then I came back, and came back and came back and came back… about 17 times in 3 years until I moved here. You could say I was obsessed.

MI OLA athlete Jules Ridley

What makes MI OLA surf bikinis unique?

We are what happened with surf function met high fashion, and fell in love and had a baby. We focus on the four Fs: Fashion, Function, Fit, and Fun.

My background prior to MI OLA was high fashion. I worked for Chanel, Ferragamo, Zac Posen, and Harper’s Bazaar in the past. Through that experience I know there is a difference between luxury clothing and cheap fast fashion. It’s hard to describe generally, but you can find clothing that fits better, is more durable and feels better when you pay more. I remember the first time I had a pencil skirt on from Chanel. It didn’t turn around on my waist – like every single skirt that I’ve every had does. I can wear Christian Louboutin shoes all day – no matter how high they are and how far I need to walk – because they are well made and fit my feet perfectly.

What we do with MI OLA is create swimwear that works. It looks great and it feels great. We think about everything and we want to make bikinis that are a force of good, not evil. We test everything in the waves – in action – to make sure we stay covered without needing to adjust. We’ve removed extra seams. We won’t stand for hardware that could bruise you when you surf, or which is guaranteed to give you a muffin top. Instead, we mold our hardware (in the US) to fit the body, and we place it on the sides so it won’t bruise you when you get on your board. We have a label that is made to be cut out and removed so it won’t rub sensitive skin or stick out.

Our fabric is fast drying Xtra Life Lycra with Chlorine resistance and UPF 50+ You won’t find our prints everywhere. We design exclusive prints and have them made in the USA. Our fit is exceptional. You would believe how many fittings go into these tiny garments!

Lastly, with MI OLA, you don’t have to worry if you’re covered. Go out and have more fun! – without constantly adjusting.

MI OLA athlete Bailey Rosen

You sponsor a few team riders, can you tell us what makes them brand ambassadors?

Man – we really lucked out with our sponsored athletes, team riders and brand ambassadors. These are all really cool women that do exceptional things… and like to wear MI OLA. First of all, I want someone who’s nice. And then, we’re looking for women doing really cool things who are jazzed by MI OLA and want to spread the word. We actually had too many amazing applicants for ambassadors this year. We’ve got a list of women, who’ll we be asking if they are still interested…as soon as our budget allows.

MI OLA Brand Ambassadors #getoutthere

What’s next for MI OLA?

We’re showing our 2015 collection to buyers now from boutiques and major department stores. We’ve unveiled a 1 piece, which is so excellent. I’m not a 1 piece wearer, generally, but I’m putting this baby on to surf. We also launched a fuller coverage bottom and an X Back Top for a fuller bust. And we have some amazing new prints that I can’t wait to wear. Accounting says I’m not allowed to “get high on my own supply”, but … at the same time, I’ve got to do quality control so I get a couple suits each year. muses_kristina_lying_1

May
9

Inspired by the Tropics

Our tagline at Mi Ola is “Made in the USA, Inspired by the tropics”. Besides the inspiring natural beauty here in Costa Rica, another benefit of living in tropical paradise is being able to test Mi Ola every single day. The waves are our playground and we certainly put our suits and rashguards to the ultimate test.

Sunday stroll in Mi Ola

Enter the beautiful and amazing women that help test our suits. Mi Ola is made for real women that are active and want to look great while doing their thing; pulling into a barrel while surfing, spiking a volleyball, doing yoga, cannonballing into a pool, or chasing after your toddler. That is why I use real women in my shoots, not just the typical model. These women are the ones that use Mi Ola day in and day out. They let me know what works and what doesn’t. They may think they are not perfect and model worthy, but they are absolutely beautiful and stunning REAL models. Sure, wouldn’t we all like to be model perfect…but that usually means no ice cream or wine!

Tough day in the office

This past week these gals put Mi Ola to the test surfing and fortunately we had a great camera crew to capture them in and out of the water. They are real women as in a lawyer, corporate banker, boutique owner, and jewelry designer mom turned Tamarindo, Costa Rica residents and Mi Ola bikini models. Although the waves were small the past couple of days, we were fortunate to have beautiful, crystal clear water and small, peeling waves perfect for long boarding.

They all rocked the shoot; their natural beauty emanated in the shots. Can you imagine the looks on the faces of the men in lineup when these chicas paddled out rocking their Mi Ola suits?

Blonde Mermaids

I know you all would love to get to know these women more, so stay tuned for more Mi Ola team rider posts!

*Photos compliments of Steven Eliopoulos and Michelle Morgan.

March
28

Mi Ola Athlete Bailey Rosen

At Mi Ola, we design sexy bikinis that stay on for all you active chicas.

That requires a lot of product testing and listening to feedback from our team riders. We also put our bikinis to the ultimate test with our sponsored athlete, the super talented Bailey Rosen.

Bailey has been wearing Mi Ola for the past two months and we could not be more excited to introduce you to this amazing young lady as our Mi Ola sponsored athlete. She started Stand Up Paddling (SUP) two years ago at sixteen and already is bringing in fantastic results in SUP races. She definitely is one to watch!

We got a chance to interview Bailey last week, while she was taking a break from studying for exams and before she left for her training trip to Maui (talk about a busy schedule!). Check out our interview with Bailey below!

Mi Ola: You started SUPing two years ago. What made you start? Where was the first time you SUPed?

Bailey Rosen: I first started stand up paddling on Treasure Island Beach at demos put on by Suncoast Surf Shop, one of the oldest surf shops on the Gulf Coast of Florida! I work there and now they’re one of my biggest supporters. It was so much fun, I immediately clicked with the sport and started taking off with it from there.

 

MO: What is your training schedule?

BR: It can be tough to train around all the homework, but on any given day I usually go for a short run in the morning before school, and then do a paddle workout in the afternoon. On the weekend I often train twice a day. And, of course, I surf or SUP surf whenever there’s waves!

 

MO: You are a Senior in high school…how is balancing work and training?

BR: It can be tough to balance full time school in the International Baccalaureate program with training and especially traveling. I can’t always do everything I would like to do as far as competition, but my teachers are usually okay about me missing class and it all somehow works out in the end.

MO: What is next after graduating high school?

BR: I’m not totally sure how college is going to work out for me yet, but I’m stoked to have been accepted to some great schools! Right now I’m waiting on a couple more decisions and some financial aid information. But no matter what, I will definitely be on the water!

 

 

MO: Tell me about your upcoming training in Maui.

BR: I’m going to Maui in preparation for a string of important races this July, including the Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard Championships! I can’t wait, it’s going to be the greatest spring break trip ever!!

Bailey training in Maui this week!!!

MO: What do you do in your free time?

BR: When I’m not training or in school I really love to read, write on my blog, and spend time with my friends.

 

MO: What is your favorite thing about your Mi Ola suit? Which design(s)/ color(s) do you like best?

BR: My favorite thing about Mi Ola is how unique the designs are, and how well those designs work for paddling and surfing! I’ve worn a lot of bikinis, but I’ve never had anything quite like Mi Ola. My current favorite is the Peacock Wrap Top, I love all the blues and the wraparound style is awesome. At first I was really skeptical as to if Mi Ola would work for me. But as soon as I wore it paddling in the Orange Bowl Paddle Championships, I realized what a gem it was! It’s awesome to not have to worry about adjusting my suit when I’m in the surf or on the beach.

MO: As an active chica, what are a couple of things that you can’t live without/ don’t leave home without?

BR: My prized possessions are my Quickblade paddles and Bark Paddleboards. I’m never without a bikini and towel in my car-and a leash too, because I always forget to bring one!

 

Gracias Bailey for taking time out of your crazy schedule to chat with us! We are super proud to support such a talented athlete!

March
12

Summer is on its way!

What a busy, first couple months of 2014 it has been for Mi Ola! Besides a super fun trip to Orlando for Surf Expo in January and running an Indiegogo campaign the past couple of weeks (there only is 32 hours left so don’t miss out on the opportunity to get Mi Ola at discounted prices), Mi Ola has been receiving a lot of great press and support.

Two years ago Mi Ola launched with our first prototype kick-ass bikinis that were functional AND sexy, and we are beyond thrilled that you guys love our suits as much as we do. In the past couple of months, we have gotten love from A Bikini A Day, Goldfish Kiss, Yoga Girl, Imeeshu, Bikini Slayer, Trailblazer Girl, GrindTV, and CA Apparel News.

SO, if you have not gotten your Mi Ola suit yet, what are you waiting for? Warm weather is just around the corner and there still is time left in our Indiegogo campaign to score Mi Ola at fantastic prices. AND if you already have a Mi Ola suit, stay tuned because in the next couple weeks we will be running some fun contests that involve you chicas!

 

March
4

Support Mi Ola and Get a Great Deal via Indiegogo!

Two years ago Mi Ola launched with our first prototype kick-ass bikinis.

We set out to design functional AND sexy bikinis that stayed on and kept up with us as we surfed, did yoga, played volleyball, or even cannonballed into a pool. This meant taking no shortcuts. High-quality materials, sharp tailoring, attention to detail, passion for the idea, and continuous testing in the waves of Costa Rica led to the creation of Mi Ola bikinis that stay on no matter what.

Now there is no reason to settle for a flimsy bikini that does not stay in place.

Bailey Rosen, pro paddler, rounding a buoy at the Orange Bowl Paddling Championship - in Mi Ola.

Our customers certainly believe this when they return to Mi Ola to purchase several more pieces after their initial order! Bottom line, we want women everywhere to feel great, enjoy the day at the beach, and be confident being active. So forget constantly tugging, yanking, adjusting a suit, and worrying about a wardrobe malfunction. All that is history.

But We Need YOUR HELP!

 

Now that we’ve built out our product line, started shopping it around at the trade shows – Surf Expo, the Miami Swim Show, and Salon Allure this summer – and showing it off at 1-on-1 appointments with fashion editors, our next big challenge is to get Mi Ola in stores around the country. And to get the word out to women who have not yet heard of us, but have been looking for a product like Mi Ola for a very long time!

So how can you help?

 

You can support us, and get a SWEET deal on Mi Ola suits, at the same time. A couple of weeks ago we launched an Indiegogo campaign. Indie-what-what? Indiegogo is an online platform that gives all types of organizations the opportunity to raise money, from small businesses, non-profits, to individuals, for their specific campaign. In exchange for your support, we have perks that you get. For example, 1 of the perks is $120 credit here at www.mi-ola.com, for only $70. You get a $50 bonus and you can shop RIGHT AWAY. If you’re been wanting to pick up a pair of our Boyshorts or a Rashguard, now’s the time to do it and get it at a super price!

The funds that are raised will allow us to hire independent sales reps to shop our line to your favorite swim and surf stores, demo the product and tell our story, so that you’ll be able to try the suits on before you buy. With more stores carrying our line, and larger production runs, our volume will increase, driving our cost of goods down and getting us to break-even.

Contributions start at $1 and the more you donate, the cooler the gifts you will get from Mi Ola. We are talking about Mi Ola bikinis at previously unheard-of prices, Mi Ola Flash Tattoos, first access to one of our hottest new prints that just got featured on A Bikini a Day, and even the opportunity to receive a model makeover and be a Mi Ola girl in a professional photo shoot!

So click here to check out the Mi Ola Indiegogo campaign.

 

Some of our recent press!

 

Other Ways You Can Help

If you can’t support Mi Ola with your wallet, but still like everything we do, please spread the news about our campaign. Like our Indigogo campaign. Tweet about it. Your enthusiasm and support in getting the word out is still absolutely critical. Share it now!

Support Mi Ola. We’re revolutionizing the bikini.

 

March
1

Working it at Surf Expo

In January, Mi Ola team landed in Orlando, Florida to exhibit at SurfExpo, a surf industry trade show. According to Robert August (who just happens to make beautiful surfboards AND starred in the iconic surf film The Endless Summer AND is our neighbor), SurfExpo was started over thirty years ago,

“I don’t really remember how it started, but SurfExpo started a a gathering of people in surfboard manufacturing. It was held outdoors with a swap meet atmosphere somewhere in Florida over thirty years ago. It wasn’t very organized, but people got together to see the new surf products for the next year. A little while later beach wear was added to the show and from there the show has really evolved. SurfExpo now is the largest surf, skate and beach lifestyle trade show in the world and is held at the Orlando Convention center held twice a year.”-Robert August

This was our second time exhibiting at the show and it was a very busy couple of days! The day before Surf Expo opened, we set up our booth and made swag-filled buyer bags. If you’re one of our clients, you got locally sourced Costa Rican coffee, coffee candy and more!

During the show we met with retailers from all over the US and the world, all with the goal to bring Mi Ola to a store near you! Cindy Prado, our model for the show, and Kristina, one of our team riders, did a great job modeling our sexy AND functional bikinis. We are stoked for all of our new retailers, like Green Turtle Resort in Aruba!

Of course, We are not all work and no play. In addition to our beautiful bikinis, our special “Miguelito” cocktails, custom Mi Ola Flash Tattoos, and a pretty awesome balance board called a Goof Board, our booth attracted a lot of attention! Within hours of tattooing ourselves, people from all over the show were visiting the Mi Ola booth to get their very own Mi Ola Flash tattoos. Once they got “Mi Ola-fied”, they couldn’t resist hopping on our Goof Board to test their skills. We held a challenge during the show to see if anyone could stay on the Goof Board longer than Mi Ola team member Kristen. By the end of SurfExpo, our model Cindy became quite the expert and almost beat her! The board certainly was a hit and super fun; some Mi Ola fans even showed off a bit and went three deep on the board!

Click here for the video of 3 Deep on the Goof Board

 

Surf Expo is also a great time to see friends in the industry. We were stoked to spend some time with Bailey Rosen and her mom Jojo Braddock. Bailey just recently placed second in the Elite Women’s in the Orange Bowl Paddling Championship and of course was wearing Mi Ola as she crossed the finish line! We could not be more proud to sponsor such a great female athlete!

We got the chance to see our good buddies from Grassracks, Evan and Andrew. Not only are they great guys, but they also make the best sustainable and functional bamboo gear racks in the business. We had a great time meeting up with our buddy Austin from GoPro. Sorry, guys - GoPro is only going to capture our Mi Ola girls in action with no bikini slippage because our suits stay on!

Overall, the Mi Ola team had an awesome time at SurfExpo. It is great to see all the new and exciting things happening in the industry from new products to gear demos. We can’t wait for the next show to show Mi Ola in action during the standup yoga demos in the standup paddle pool!

Be sure to stay tuned over the next couple of weeks and months as we have some pretty exciting things going on here at Mi Ola. Check us out on Instagram (@miolasurf) and follow us on Facebook!

January
20

Just for You: Fresh Mi Ola Bikinis!

goldfish kiss instagram

We just shipped a WHOLE lot of new stock to our warehouse!

If you were holding off on buying until your items are in stock, please take a look!

 

We’ll be adding in new products in the next week, including the Mi Ola Casita Boythong, above.

However, if you need it now, it’s available at www.bikinislayer.com (or you can email us at info@mi-ola.com!)

January
4

We Love: Goldfish Kiss!

One of my favorite beach-y blogs is Goldfish Kiss
Rebekah Steen is a great source of inspiration, beach style and positivity.

So I can’t tell you how psyched we are that she chose to feature our Mi Ola Tira Top and Boythong (soon available on the site!) on her site and instagram.

goldfish kiss instagram