Interview with Beth Gerharts of Betty Bangs

Exclusive Interview with Beth Gerharts of Betty Bangs

Background of Betty Bangs

LTK: How did Betty Bangs get started? Prior to the swimwear, had you ever done any other kind of design work? BG: Betty Bangs started as a lingerie line, a beautiful '50s pin-up style line that I got in way over my head with. I made a forty-five piece collection that was very unique, very detailed, but very hard to produce with limited funds. I went to two trade shows in Vegas and sold over $8,000.00 in one show, something that is phenomenal for an unknown, unmarketed brand. Unfortunately, some of the next steps were not as quick nor easy. It was absolutely a huge lesson learned that I brought with me to Betty Bangs Swim.

When I started creating bikinis, I was just making them for myself using the leftover fabrics I had from the lingerie line (I used some Lycras mixed with leopard that were soooo hot!) just to have a different bikini every week to wear out to the Sunday boat parties at Elliot Key (off the coast of Miami). That was back in '06.

Some of Ms. Gerharts work.

My first "T-shirt" bikini came shortly after. I made one out of the promotional Betty Bangs logo T-shirts I had printed to give out in Vegas. It was black and pink with metallic pink strings, Brazilian cut and hot.

As soon as I cut it, I knew I was on to something. And boy, was I! I spent the entire next week coming up with what I was going to wear the following Sunday. I began cutting concert T-shirts into bikinis and eventually starting adding Swarovski crystals. They became an instant hit out at Elliot Key because they were different from everything out there...they really stood out.

I started getting phone calls from girls who wanted me to make custom swimsuits for them. From there, I made a sample line and brought it to some local boutiques. As soon as I got orders, I would run home and make suits out of whatever random shirts I had collected. Back then, stores didn't have a choice about which swimsuits they would get .

I used to do all the cutting, sewing, stoning and string-making myself. I used a little home serger and a Bedazzler. Then my parents bought me the industrial machines I needed for production. But even with the right machines, I was still only able to "fill my orders" and not really "grow my business," until my partner, Hilda, came into the picture, and I was able to contract some of the work out.

LTK: Do you have a favorite bikini in your line? If so, what makes it your favorite?

BG: They are all my favorites, of course. I am very pleased with the entire collection. But I have to say the "Call Me" is a real eye-catcher. The velvet pink and black leopard strings really make it pop. The "Welcome to the Jungle" is another strong one in this collection. The fit is incredible and the gold tones really give it class.

The Company Today

LTK: What's a day in the life like for you now?

BG: There definitely is no "typical day" in the life of Betty Bangs. I wear many hats...everyday! I could be at my studio cutting or numbering the suits or ordering materials, shipping out orders, working on special orders, booking shows/events, recruiting models, answering emails...till the wee hours in the morning. Or I could be out on the road dropping off orders at stores, getting new accounts or attending meetings regarding events. On any given night, I could be doing a fashion show or promoting my Peterson's Harley Davidson line at bike night with a bikini contest.

More great designs.

LTK: Where is your line sold?

BG: My swimsuits are available online at [http:www.bettybangs.net BettyBangs.net] and currently at fourteen high-end boutiques in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area, but it's changing everyday. Recently, I have received orders from some new stores like Jatem in Boca Raton, FL, Oxygen in Key West and Astoria in Las Vegas.

LTK: The designs look fantastic! How do you keep up with the demand for your bikinis?

BG: It's not easy keeping up with the demands for my swimsuits. I am still swamped with work because I still do a lot of it myself, but this is how I hope to keep it, very hands on. My boyfriend and I still cut everything by hand, one-by-one. This has to be done because of the printing on the T-shirts instead of stacking layers of fabric to cut a lot of suits at once. We still hand stamp all of the limited edition numbers on each suit. We deliver all the local orders personally and we pack and ship all the Internet/phone orders. We keep very busy, but I'm not complaining.

LTK: How should people care for their Betty Bangs swimsuits?

BG: I always suggest that people hand wash their "Betty" and hang it to dry. However, I haven't always followed my own directions very well. I actually still have some of the original swimsuits I made back in '06 (I call them my "Vintage Betty's") that I have washed, dried and basically put through the wringer, and they are still in incredible shape. Betty always says, "They are hangin' and bangin'" approved!

Be on the Lookout

LTK: Do you have any styles coming up that you don't have on the site yet?

BG: I have a couple new styles I'm working on to add to my limited edition "Rock Steady" line for next year. In addition, I also have an entire line I'm doing for Peterson's Harley Davidson that is not on the site. For that collection, I mixed the Swarovski crystals with nailheads and studs, they really are amazing!

LTK: Do you think you'll ever go back to designing lingerie in addition to the swimwear?

BG: Eventually, I would like to bring Betty to many different markets, from lingerie to a guys' collection. I've even thought of maybe doing a preggo line called "I Got Banged".