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There are few things that exist in the mind that have not first been filtered through the senses. In the case of designs for bathing suits, beachwear and accessories, it must be said that, for the married couple, Monica Echeverry and Carlos Laverde, there is no business project that is not a product of the imagination, research, careful analysis, and observation.
This entrepreneurial vision began eight years ago as a result of Monica's analysis, carried out as a psychology student, of women's fashion and of her first clients' and class-mates' taste for imaginative details, combined with the trends she saw in fashion magazines. Carlos, on the other hand, dedicated himself to the sales operations of expansion and costs. This stemmed from his passion for sales and industrial engineering.
" My wife is the one who puts the feminine touch on the process. She uses her imagination, and really focuses on the details, without going overboard. This was why we targeted romantic women who would give us a unique brand of our own, a signature style. Doing so is a process of development and research that takes time. You have to constantly dream, imagine and develop products for women who do not know exactly what they are looking for," says Carlos, Manager of Modamar, the company his wife and he established.
The nearly 10 collections they have managed to exhibit in the domestic and foreign markets over the last 7 years are proof of this. Last March, Modamar's apparel was seen on the catwalks of " Plataforma K" in Barranquilla, and its exports to the United States have increased by 30% since the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) went into effect a year ago. At that time, there was an " evolution" , and an desire for Colombian products grew, which stemmed from the echo created in the market from the whole process of signing the FTA. This meant that Colombians' curiosity and creativity needed to focus on finding an equilibrium between international tastes and the Colombian characteristics," said Carlos.
This company began in 2005 to provide income for the couple while they were in college. They thought of it as a " business adventure" , started with the first one hundred thousand pesos saved by the couple to buy nylon lycra cloth samples. They established contact with a woman who lived in Neiva, who tailored apparel and beachwear. They only knew her through her voice over the telephone when they called to explain the " simple drawings" that Javeriana university students in Bogota wanted. Yet today, it is a company that has participated, with the support of PROCOLOMBIA, in important international fashion trade fairs, such as Swim Show in Miami and Mode City in Paris. However, it was at a Business Matchmaking Forum in Cartagena in 2007, " when we achieved our first international sale to Vancouver, Canada."
In reality, Modamar forms part of that group of Colombian companies that maintained the United States as an important client for the textile and apparel sectors, and which increased their exports by 3.9% during the first year of the FTA, according to information from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, with data from DANE. The apparel sector has grown 2.6% with total sales of USD 183 million, USD 4.6 million more than recorded the previous period.
" In particular, bathing suit sales to the United States grew 110% between May 2012 and February 2013. Antioquia is the department with the most sales, followed by Valle," the PROCOLOMBIA president, Maria Claudia Lacouture, pointed out.
According to Lacouture, those who purchase bathing suits " tend to look for comfort and to use more conservative styles. However, innovation and difference are highly valued."
Persistence Is Their Motto
However, in all this time, they have not changed their formula, and continue to expand their sales network, not only in Colombia but also in Europe and the United States. " When we began, Monica and I went to visit boutiques. We took advantage of any family outing to explore the downtown areas. And now, when we go abroad, we strap on our backpacks again and do it all over," Carlos stated.
But Modamar's daily struggle for the international market does not end here. Monica and her team continue to search for unique designs, starting with unexpected and subtle combinations that maintain balance and visual proportion. Carlos will now begin to conquer the international online bathing suit market, little explored in Colombia.
" In the medium term, our dream is to enter the top 10 in the market of the Americas, and then the world. To achieve that, you need to be consistent and to persevere. You have to believe in what you do, look ahead, and have a clear and honest vision, with all your senses sharp," Carlos concluded.
