Article content A local swimwear designer from Sault Ste. Marie made waves at Toronto Swim Week, where she was one of six designers selected to showcase her suits. Hanalei Baybe, a handmade bikini business based in Sault Ste.
Marie, offers unique, custom swimwear in a variety of sizes and styles. Behind the brand is Hanalei Sebecic, its sole creator and designer. Sebecic’s journey into fashion design started with sewing lessons in grade school.
She recalls making pajamas for her family, and chemo caps for donation to Sault Area Hospital. Four years ago, she revisited her sewing skills and taught herself how to make bikinis. “I was basically self-taught from that point forward,” she said.
While she remembered the basics—threading the machine, using the pedal, and backstitching—working with stretchy swimsuit fabric required a lot of trial and error, especially without template patterns. She began making bathing suits because she failed to find high quality, well-fitting swimwear online. “They were expensive, weren’t adjustable, and were generic looking.
The sizes were usually small, medium and large which I didn’t fit. So, I started making my own suits. Some of my friends caught wind of it, and so I decided to start a business.
” Now, her inclusive sizing is one of her biggest selling points, she says. Sebecic works closely with her customers through the custom design process to ensure the perfect fit. One customer review reads, “I love that I was able to con.
