Fueled by her love of travel and inspired by the feminine form, Dessy’s designs are characterized by meticulous attention to detail and a focus on comfort. What started as sleepless nights sewing at a kitchen table has now evolved into a close-knit team of passionate creatives sharing the same vision. Bydee is defined by luxurious pieces, using premium Lycra and sustainable materials, showcasing a commitment to quality and the environment. With a belief in empowering the confident, sexy, and detail-driven woman, Dessy strives to create timeless pieces that seamlessly transition from beach to bar, embodying the essence of the Bydee woman.
We had the opportunity to chat with Dessy about inspiration, design, and the challenges of growing a brand.
Bydee was born in 2013 out of a pure passion for intricate details and designs when Dessy was in her teens. The brand has evolved from a market stall to an internationally recognized label with a mission to make women feel amazing and make memories in their Bydee pieces.
How do you approach designing for the Bydee woman? What are some of the key elements that define the brand’s aesthetic?
“The Bydee woman, or as we would call her, the Bydee babe, is detail driven, environmentally conscious, and loves to feel sexy and confident in what she wears,” Dessy says.
“She is someone who curates her wardrobe and feels empowered taking a piece of beautifully designed swimwear from the beach to the bar, with a switch up of accessories. Every collection has a story and meaning behind it and each piece is thoughtfully designed to be a little work of art,” Dessy continues.
Bydee is known for its attention to detail and feminine touches. How do you incorporate these details into Bydee’s designs, and what sets Bydee apart from other swimwear brands?
“I would say things come back to the story of the collection, which as the Creative Director of Bydee, is my role to ensure the collection theme is carried through to all the little details you see. From our custom bespoke prints, hand-beaded details and gold alloy charms that are designed in-house, through to the thought-out binding that complements each print. I would say this is what sets us apart from other swimwear labels,” Dessy says.
Bydee’s pieces are driven by a love of travel, inspired by the feminine form and designed with comfort in mind.
How does Bydee prioritise sustainability?
Each Bydee swim piece is hand tailored using high quality Lycra, made with Econyl & Repreve and 100% regenerated polyamide fibre from post-consumer materials.
Our high standards of quality, design and construction ensure our pieces are made to last and will be your swim essentials for seasons to come.
“Our thoughtful designs mean that most pieces are adjustable. At Bydee, we value making women feel amazing and through a high level of adjustability, we aim to compliment a range of shapes and proportions,” Dessy says.
“We have made a conscious effort to be a plastic free brand. All orders are sent out in mailer bags made from 100% biodegradable and compostable materials. Not only do we send orders packaged sustainably, we have partnered with ethical manufacturers to receive all shipments plastic free. This is a huge step for us as a small business and we strive to continuously build upon our sustainably conscious practices.”
Bydee has expanded beyond swimwear to include a ready-to-wear line. What inspired this expansion, and how do you balance designing for both categories while maintaining the brand’s overall aesthetic?
Bydee’s ready-to-wear category has evolved through Dessy’s love for creating pieces which make our Bydee babe feel amazing.
“What started as an intimates category has now evolved to pieces that compliment our swimwear. We know how much our Bydee babes love our swimwear, so we wanted a way to take her further than the beach with some additonal pieces designed to complement,” Dessy says.
How do you continue to stay inspired when designing for Bydee?
“Inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere! I would say mostly through travelling. When travelling, not only do I see different trends, but I think to feel inspired as well. You need to be in a certain mindset, and sometimes it’s hard to be in that mindset when you are in your usual everyday routine, so I would say that’s what I love most about travelling. Usually Australia is a little behind the curve of trends. So I love seeing the fashion & colour trends in other countries. I also love vintage sourcing and thrifting & of course, Pinterest!,” Dessy says.
What have been some of the biggest challenges you have faced in building and growing the brand? How have you overcome them?
Being in business since she was 19 has, of course, come with its challenges. A lot of what Dessy has learnt has come from making mistakes and learning (…fast!) as well as networking and learning from others along the way.
“I am forever inspired by the people around me. Learning all things business and marketing without previous experience or studies was a huge challenge! Having studied fashion and never working an official 9-5 job, I found entering business quite challenging, although I understood and used social media in its early days, and I would say this really helped Bydee scale,” Dessy says.
As a creative director and founder, what motivates and inspires you in your work? Can you share a specific experience or moment that sparked your passion for design and fashion?
“Travel is a huge inspiration for what led me to start Bydee and what continues to fuel our collections. I would say one of the earliest inspirations which helped to kickstart Bydee was travelling Europe when I was 19. At this stage, I was making bikinis and selling them on facebook between Uni to friends & family. I saw a beaded cupped bikini in a Mykonos boutique and I just had this feeling when I held it in my hand and looked at the detail and thought that had gone into creating such a little piece of art. I knew I wanted to create something that gave women this feeling and create beautiful detailed pieces and reach women around the world,” Dessy says.
Can you tell us about a particularly memorable moment or achievement in your journey with Bydee?
“I would say, seeing Bydee in the wild for the first time in Australia & then overseas. Even now, every time I see someone wearing Bydee, I get a goose bumps. It truly is such a pinch me moment to see the Bydee babes wearing our pieces confidently,” Dessy says.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start their own fashion brand?
“I would say, find your niche, find your passion and go for it! Fashion is a saturated market and I think in order to create a brand that is innovative and stands out, you need to find something you’re passionate about. Be prepared to constantly evolve, listen to your customers and have clear brand values,” Dessy says.
