Something special is growing out of St. Croix’s shores. Brittany Dawson, a Crucian-born entrepreneur, is preparing to launch Curve Swim — a swimwear line designed specifically for women with curves, and rooted in the culture, beauty, and spirit of island life.

After more than two years of development, Dawson is bringing to market something the industry has long overlooked: swimwear that celebrates curvy bodies rather than just accommodating them. The line draws its color palette from the natural landscape of St. Croix — deep blue waters, orange sunsets, tropical florals — and its spirit from the Carnival culture and ocean-centered lifestyle that defines growing up Crucian.

The Island as Inspiration

For Dawson, the beach was never just a destination. “The beach was never just somewhere we visited. It was part of our lifestyle, our celebrations, our healing, and our freedom,” she told the St. Thomas Source. “Some of my best memories are tied to the ocean, family gatherings, carnival season, boat rides, music, and simply existing in the Caribbean sun.”

That lived experience — and the recognition that curvy women deserved to feel as at home on the beach as anyone else — became the foundation of Curve Swim. “Island women are bold, beautiful, soft, strong, unapologetically thick, athletic, and feminine all at once,” Dawson said. “I wanted Curve Swim to reflect the women I grew up around.”

Two Years in the Making

Building the brand while balancing work, school, and daily life wasn’t easy. Each fabric had to stretch properly, support curves without compromise, and still feel luxurious. Every sample went through multiple rounds of redesign and fit testing. But Dawson kept the finish line in view: the women who would finally feel seen in what they wore to the beach.

“I kept thinking about younger versions of ourselves who deserved to feel beautiful at the beach without insecurity attached to it,” she said.

What’s Next for Curve Swim

The first collection is set to release later this year. Plans include additional collections, Caribbean collaborations, and pop-up events. Dawson has opened a VIP sign-up list — limited to 500 people — offering pre-sale pricing before the public launch.

 

Palm trees leaning over a turquoise Caribbean beach on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
St. Croix’s iconic Caribbean coastline — turquoise water, white sand, and leaning palms that define island living in the USVI

Sign up at curveswimco.com.

What Stories Like This Say About St. Croix

Brittany Dawson’s story is a reminder of what makes this island worth paying attention to. St. Croix produces people who create — who take what they love about this place and build something meaningful from it. That spirit runs through the community here, from the art studios of Christiansted to the fishing villages of the East End.

If you’ve been thinking about what it would be like to live in a place where culture runs this deep, we’d love to show you what’s available. Browse homes for sale on St. Croix and see what island life could look like for you.