In her profession as a dietitian, Lyndi Cohen saw the same scenario over and over again. Women struggling in their relationship with their bodies. What she realised though, was that it wasn’t always because they lacked confidence. It was because products weren’t designed for them.
So, she recruited her husband Les, and together they launched Fearless Swimwear.
They had zero experience in the industry. But according to the pair, that ended up being to their advantage.
“We weren’t interested in following industry norms. We wanted to challenge them. If 78 per cent of Australian women wear a size 12 or above, why are so many swimsuits still designed around a size 8 fit model?” Cohen told The AJN.
This became the foundation of Fearless.
Cohen said ultimately, the inspiration came from personal experience. Despite being a size 12, which she explained is one of the most common sizes in Australia, after having her children Cohen couldn’t find a swimsuit that made her comfortable.
“A swimsuit is the least amount of fabric most women will ever wear in public. If there is one item of clothing that should make you feel confident and supported, it’s a swimsuit.
“When I shared my experience online, thousands of women responded saying they felt exactly the same way. That’s when I realised this wasn’t a confidence problem. It was a design problem,” she recalled.
Cohen explained that most swimwear brands design for a small body and then scale up, rather than designing specifically for larger sizes. Fearless, she said, does the opposite.
“We start by designing for the women we actually want to serve, using size 12 and size 16 fit models as our foundation. We’re not making swimwear bigger. We’re designing it differently,” she said.
“We didn’t set out to create a swimwear brand. We became obsessed with solving a problem that millions of women experience.”
The team surveyed 15,000 women and found that 49 per cent wear different sized tops and bottoms, often compromising on fit with a standard-size swimmer. To the Fearless team, it didn’t make sense. So, they introduced a concept called Magic Sizing which means women who are sized differently on the top and bottom, can have a swimsuit that fits them perfectly, despite the difference.
The difference in the way Fearless is operating is positioning them as a swimwear brand for the masses. And one that women can feel comfortable and confident wearing.
“We believe the industry has spent too long designing for a narrow version of what women look like. Our mission is to create swimwear for the 91 per cent of women we believe have been overlooked,” Cohen said. “Ultimately, we want to create the swimsuit a woman reaches for every summer because it fits so well that she doesn’t want to wear anything else.”
But for Lyndi and Les, starting Fearless wasn’t just about solving a problem. It was also about giving back.
Through the brand’s ‘i change’ initiative, Fearless channels support to organisations helping women and girls overcome barriers to education, safety and opportunity. The programme reflects the company’s broader philosophy that confidence is about more than feeling good in a swimsuit. It’s about empowering women to thrive in all aspects of life. By weaving philanthropy into the fabric of the business, the hope is that Fearless can make a meaningful difference.
For those looking to start a business, Cohen said the timing has never been better, saying technology and AI have made expertise more accessible than ever before. She also said it’s best to start with a problem rather than the product itself.
“We didn’t set out to create a swimwear brand. We became obsessed with solving a problem that millions of women experience,” she admitted.
She acknowledged though, that the Fearless journey hasn’t been without its setbacks. And importantly, they’re honest about them.
Recently, Fearless shared a mistake they made on their social media channels. They owned it, they explained it, and then they fixed it, shifting the sizing due to feedback they’d received from customers. And that’s just one example of Fearless being honest with their customers.
“We see feedback as a gift. If you’re willing to learn from setbacks rather than be defined by them, it’s very hard to fail,” Cohen said.
When asked about the most surprising thing the team has experienced with Fearless, Cohen was candid. “The speed of growth,” she said. “We sold out our first pre-order within 24 hours and generated more than $200,000 in revenue. Since then, demand has continued to exceed our expectations.”
In terms of reward though, for Cohen, it’s all about how women are connecting with the mission.
“Long before we launched, thousands of women were responding to our surveys and helping shape the product. That level of engagement showed us we were solving a genuine problem, and it’s something that continues to drive everything we do.”
Follow Fearless on social media @fearless.swimwear or head to their website for more information, fearlessswimwear.com
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