SwimSpot's Santa Monica Splash
Swimwear designer Lisa Vogel at the new Santa Monica Place SwimSpot with Chris Lohman, SwimSpot's vice president.
SwimSpot runs women’s swimwear boutiques from Santa Barbara to Orange County. On May 15, the boutique chain made a splash when it opened a 1,600-square-foot boutique at the exclusive Santa Monica Place mall.
Leading swimwear designer Lisa Vogel visited the Santa Monica boutique’s debut, after working on a photography shoot for the 2013 collection of the Luxe by Lisa Vogel swimwear label. The brand will produce a special presentation of the 2013 collection June 5 in New York City.
SwimSpot, based in Tustin, Calif., also sells swimwear by Splendid, Reef, Hurley and Ella Moss. It offers 10 women’s brands from categories ranging from junior to contemporary and missy. It sells two kids’ brands and even some men’s styles.
The retailer’s major point of difference is its “fit specialist program.” All of SwimSpot’s sales associates receive extensive training in all of the angles and the details of women's swimwear said Chris Lohman, SwimSpot’s vice president.
Company personnel often meet with swimwear designers and pick up tips on what makes various brand’s merchandise special. Knowledge on how to get the best wear and fit out of a bikini or a maillot is spread throughout its sales staff.
“Women don’t enjoy buying swimwear,” Lohman said. “But we make sure that when they walk out of here, it’s a great experience, and what they buy is on trend and it fits great.”
