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Fashion Line: Pink Star
Designer: Ann Ho
Website: www.PINKSTARswimwear.etsy.com

A vacation to Asia changed Ann Ho’s style direction from bedroom wear to beach wear. She initially wanted to design lingerie, but her fateful encounter with a swimsuit manufacturer inspired her idea for Pink Star, a swimwear line that caters to the diverse shape of the female form.

Fed up with America’s general standard of swimsuit sizes, and fighting her own battle with trying to find the right swimsuit to fit her own body, Ann Ho sought out to create a line of swimsuits that would not only fit women’s bodies, but also flatter the various body shapes of the multi-ethnic women living in the Bay Area.

Ann’s swimsuits are adjustable and allow women to synch in or let out as much or as little fabric as they need. Finding the right swimsuit for your body shape has never been so easy.

Helium Magazine: What does fashion mean to you?

Ann Ho: What fashion means to me is something that you can wear and feel comfortable with, not having to stress over what you actually look like, something you feel comfortable and cute in and up-to-date.

HM: How did Pink Star get started?

AH: Pink Star got started by accident. I was vacationing in Asia and I came across a girl who owns her own manufacturer, and one of the things they make is swimsuits. Originally I wanted to do lingerie and of course she didn’t do lingerie; swimsuits and lingerie are pretty close together. Then I thought about it and basically, the issue with me with swimsuits is how they are made in the U.S.; it’s a little bit different. The cut and sizing is a little bit different, which makes it a little harder because in the U.S. the cuts are very generalized.

HM: How long has Pink Star been established?

AH: I’m going onto my second year soon. It started February two years ago.

HM: Who do you imagine wearing Pink Star?

AH: Anyone basically. Pink Star, like I mentioned earlier, got started because most swimsuits in the U.S. are very generalized, which means that they have a cut where they (designers) don’t think about different body shapes. They form to a certain model form and in the past, with my body type in general is that I am very small framed [except] my top, I used to have to buy a larger size. What I find in the market is that most of the swimsuits in the U.S. have hooks on them or there’s no way to adjust them. My swimsuits are all adjustable so they will fit any body shape. Whether you are bigger on top, or bottom, or you need a certain area that needs to be synched in a little bit more, the ties [on my swimsuits] would definitely help.

HM: How does Pink Star represent San Jose and the Bay Area?

AH: I think in the bay area and in San Jose there’s a lot of females that are very hip, very stylish, and have very differently proportioned bodies. We have a lot of diverse ethnicities in the bay area and of course different ethnicities also have different curves. My swimsuits fit all the those forms; they fit whatever body shape you have.

HM: What was your inspiration for this line?

AH: My inspiration for this line was to make a swimsuit line that anyone can wear. Mainly it started because of me having issues finding the swimsuit that actually would fit. Of course two pieces are a little bit easier to fit, but to make it flattering without baggage on certain areas, it’s a little more difficult to find. The inspiration is people; different people have different problems getting their swimsuits to fit.

HM: Where can people purchase your swimsuits?

AH: They can come to my studio which is in Milpitas or they can purchase it online. The only place I currently sell it right now is on pinkstarswimwear.etsy.com. You can buy tops and bottoms separately and you don’t have to buy a full suit that’s size small, medium, or large; you can mix and match.

HM: What is your ultimate goal for Pink Star?

AH: My ultimate goal for Pink Star is to market it more at the boutiques in the Bay Area. That would be a goal that I’m setting for myself in the next maybe two years; to market to boutiques, individually owned boutiques in the bay area and see how that sells. And then if it does well, in the next five years try to get more into the department stores, but of course that’s a little bit down the road.

HM: How did you come up with the name Pink Star and what does it represent?

AH: I have a tattoo on my wrist of a pink star so I just thought it was a cute name.

So if you are a woman who has difficulty finding a swimsuit that will cover, compliment, and adjust to your body shape, make sure to check out Pink Star swimwear. You are sure to find a suit that will fit your body shape.

Interview by Sophia M. Papadopoulos

Photo Credits

Andrea Henneman – Photographer
Tim Walker – Post Production & Lighting aid
Marissa Alava – Model
Esther Au – Makeup and Hair
Marissa Alva – Model
Briana Romero – Sketch Artist
Jack Husting – Art Director
Matthew Mountford – event manager
Christian Garucco – videographer