Having given birth to her now 9-year-old son at 19 years old, Florida native Altrichia Cook was on the hunt to find swimwear that would hide her pregnancy scars while vacationing in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Struggling to find a high-waisted suit that catered to her needs, Cook couldn't beat them, so she joined them. Bringing fabric to a tailor, Cook ended up working alongside the woman to create a swimsuit of her own design and preference.
Allusions high waist swimswear
What started out as a simple solution for herself soon blossomed into a full-fledged business. Another social media success story in the making, Cook's swimsuits gained popularity after the designer posed in her creations for Instagram. Friends and family began bombarding Cook with questions on where they could purchase these fabulous designs, and from there she launched Allusions by A. Lekay in 2013.
Allusions by A. Lekay Swimsuit
Though the swimsuit brand developed as a result of one teen mom's vision of a bathing suit that would make her feel sexy and do so without the worry of revealing her pregnancy scars, her swimwear is not only made for women with scars to cover. In fact, Cosmopolitan magazine’s July 2015 cover star Nicki Minaj salutes her country clad in an Allusions by A. Lekay original. Looking patriotically flawless, might I add.
Nicki Minaj in patriotic swimsuit on Cosmo
Currently, Allusions by A. Lekay designs come in four collections: Fantasy, Mirage, Optical and Reality. Swimsuits are available for purchase online and customers are able to choose the style of their suit along with fabric options to mix and match. The company prides themselves on their objective to bring 100 percent customer satisfaction by providing unique swimwear that can be worn by women of all ages with comfort and confidence.
Cute high-waist swimsuit
It really goes to show you never know what will come about once an idea takes form. All it takes is one small idea, a lot of determination and a hint of style.