From Alice to Sophia

119 years ago today my great-grandmother, my “Tata” Alice, was born. She immigrated from Syria to New York in 1913, then lived in Detroit and Los Angeles, before retiring in Huntington Beach. She was a remarkable woman full of kindness, grace, humor, and style. Her cooking was legendary and she ran many businesses and restaurants with my great grandfather.

I remember my surprise when I found out that in her single days she worked at a department store. She was reminiscing how much she enjoyed it and she could still recall the slogan of the store nearly 70 years later. I wish I remembered more of those little details, I regret not asking her more questions.

Later, when I was working on our family tree I came across a census record that listed her as a “sales lady.” It made me think of the legacy of strong women in my family, a legacy she inspired. Many of us work in fashion and have built up small businesses. Going through photos of my great grandmother, I found one of my favorites where she is looking chic in a bathing suit. The note on the picture says that it was possibly her wedding day photo. Clearly the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

When we launched the Sophia Capsule of Bestswimwear by B Swim I wondered what she would think, if she would notice the love we have put into our collection. Picking our favorite B Swim styles, finding the right prints and colors, and going through dozens of shades of red until we had THE best red for Maraschino Cherry. I remember sitting with our creative director Hannah, and slowly adding little bits of yellow into Itsy Ditsy until it had just the right pop. For years Donna (the main Bestswimwear boss) and I talked about finding a perfectly furry looking leopard and after searching through what felt like thousands of fabrics that all started to blur together, suddenly there it was, the leopard fabric of our dreams that would go on to become Minette.

Tata, you are my forever inspiration, I hope I have made you proud and I hope that our capsule collection is even half as glamorous as you always were. 

- Bobbi Haas

E-commerce and Marketing Director, Swimwear Buyer, Great-Granddaughter

Explore the Sophia Capsule: Our Sophia capsule embodies the romance of Italy with a whimsical ditsy floral, a statement red, and a chic leopard. A collection as iconic as Sophia Loren, a slice of pizza, and maraschino cherries. Never basic, always classic.