Welcome to our newest series Through The Lens, conversations with the creatives behind the most impressive brands’ Instagram feeds.
About three years ago, we were tipped off to Solid & Striped, a refreshingly consistent tight edit of swimwear rooted in simplicity. About that same time, the founder gave this quote: “I wanted to create a product that if you lived in a Slim Aarons photograph of a pool at someone’s estate in 1970s Acapulco, it wouldn’t look weird if you wearing one of our bathing suits.” It’s easy for a young, popular company to lose its way. But Solid & Striped has—swim pun—confidently stayed in its lane.
We’re glad they did. Some of their first styles, like the Anne Marie one-piece and the men’s Classic are essentially collectibles—each season, they’re refreshed with of-the-moment tweaks. The collection’s rounded out with designs that certainly would be at home in ’70s Acapulco, or poolside or at the beach now.
Both locales are represented on the digitally native brand’s Instagram feed—a mental getaway for those who shop for swimwear by function or by escapism. (Solid & Striped is one of the few swimwear brands with styles actually comfortable for swimming.) We asked Michelle Copelman, the Director of Design, to explain how to make a splash on Instagram.
#solidandstriped #saltlife #letsgosomewhere #poolday #strategy
A Strategy is Never Finished.
Does Solid & Striped have the same social media strategy as the brand did at launch?
Our Instagram strategy really evolved naturally as the brand grew and we got to know our customer—as well as our key styles.
Define Your “Truth North.”
How have things changed?
Now that we know our customers and have an understanding of what they are looking for and what they gravitate towards, we strategize around what content is most engaging and relatable.
Making a Case for Cohesion…
The feed has a real visual and color cadence. Is that intentional?
Yes, it’s definitely intentional; it is important that the images not only look good on their own, but as a whole with all of the photos on our feed. The collection of all of them together really create a cohesive story that helps to further illustrate the point of view of Solid & Striped.
…But Cohesion in vibe > Cohesion in Content.
There’s a content cadence, too—do you intentionally set a ratio of inspiration and original imagery?
There is no ideal ratio of what type of photo we are posting. We just try to make sure each one makes sense for the brand and our customer — we are always thinking about who is engaging with our product and our platforms and tailor our approach based on both. We try to curate a well-rounded balance of vintage inspiration and our own campaign imagery of the current season, both illustrating different facets of the brand.
When Something’s New, Say So.
Lots of talk about whether promotional posts “work.” Do you look for meaningful upticks?
We are very lucky and have an extremely loyal following so when we post about new product arrivals we definitely see traction. Not only do we see sales from returning customers, but we also see new customers being driven to the site.
Do What Works.
Solid & Striped is known for creating the perfect one-piece. What style best captures the brand’s ethos right now?
The most iconic Solid & Striped design is certainly the Anne-Marie one piece. It is really a fan favorite, it comes in a variety of colors and patterns, and it’s flattering for any body type. All Solid & Striped styles are classic and timeless that are updated each season with new colors, detailing, cut-outs, and more.
What to Do Poolside From Your Phone
Read The Caret
A brand-spanking-new online digest about how we live online, featuring interviews with digital creatives. Start with Marc Kremers.
Listen to the Durutti Column
Gorgeously morose English pop-punk from the ’70s and ’80s to cool you off. Start with Otis.
Analyze The Handmaid’s Tale
This podcast breaks down every episode—for when the sun glare makes it too hard to read the (amazing) reviews from the AV Club.
