Stay Sun-Safe With Swimwear: Meet COÉGA

by Sahira Dharamshi

Stay Sun-Safe With Swimwear: Meet COÉGA

10 Dec 2024

Picture this: you are on holiday running around trying to apply and reapply sun cream onto your toddlers. Constantly looking over to see if their shoulders have the red hue signifying a sunburn and battling them every hour or so to avoid any damage caused by the sun. The lead-up to holidays is spent hunting around pharmacies for sunscreen sprays or scented sun creams, whatever will help make the process easier.

Over at COÉGA Sunwear you have swimwear pieces from the Slim-Kini to the Burkini, all you need to keep yourself and your children protected from those harsh UV rays. Each piece embodies sustainability and inclusivity aimed to make the wearers feel like their best selves. So, not only does it help alleviate the stress of sun protection, but the swimwear brand also aims to make you feel confident and empowered, which is not always an easy feat. Furthermore, being in the Middle East has shaped some of the pieces created. For example, you have the Burkini, which provides ample coverage and protection for those sunny days spent by the pool. At COÉGA, there really is something for everyone.

From the importance of UV protection to the creative process, my interview with their founder, Maureen (who, by the way, didn’t start as COEGA Sunwear’s CEO — she was a helicopter technician before!), covers it all.

— What inspired you to start COÉGA?

— Well, we moved to Dubai in January of 2000 from Canada, where your summer months are short and you only swim a few times. In Dubai, you are almost always out in the sun, whether by the pool or at the beach, and my boys and I would often get sunburned. So, I wanted to make some sun-protective clothing, like rash guards and suits, for my boys to keep us from getting sunburned. At the time, my younger son was just learning to walk, and I noticed other little kids slipping around the pool or burning their feet on the hot surfaces. That is when I developed these little Pool Shoes, especially for him. And that is how it all began!

— How did you select the name COÉGA?

— My husband and I were brainstorming names and playing around with different letters and pronunciations. We really liked the name COÉGA and later discovered it means "water running into the ocean" in, I believe, an African language — though I can’t recall exactly which one. It felt fitting, as it is all about the movement of water.

— How has the region helped shape the designs?

— When I first started, my focus was mainly on UV protection and safety, particularly with the Pool Shoes. But as I began growing the brand, I kept getting comments when we were at the pool or beach — people would say, “Wow, where did you get those suits?” I would tell them I made them, and they would ask if I could make some for them, too. That is when I thought, maybe this could be a good business idea!

For the first five years, I was a one-woman show. I did everything — designing, overseeing production, ordering fabrics, making sales calls, and even delivering products to stores. During those deliveries, I would talk to the store staff and ask for feedback: What were people saying? What did they like or dislike? Was there anything people kept asking for that we didn’t have?

What I consistently heard was that local customers appreciated the products for cultural reasons. They would ask if I could make the designs a little longer, a little looser, or add specific tweaks. So, I would go back to my sewing room, create a few prototypes, bring them to the store, and the response would always be, “That’s perfect!”

— The brand also aims to create inclusive and modest swimwear. So, how do you ensure your designs cater to all body types?

— I am a woman who doesn’t have the so-called "perfect" body type, and I like to wear things that are flattering and make me feel good. I grew up in a big family where everyone was included, and that mindset carries over — I want to make sure there is something for everybody. I have sisters and friends who often like what they see on the market but say, "It just doesn’t look good on my body." So, I try to put myself in their shoes. I wear the swimwear myself to ensure it works for real women with real bodies.

— How do you also ensure the pieces you create make people feel comfortable and confident?

— I always put myself in the wearer's position. From the beginning, I wanted to create a brand that I would be proud to see my friends and family wear, and I still hold onto that. For me, comfort is key — if you are comfortable in what you are wearing, I think it naturally boosts your confidence. When you look good, you feel good, and when you feel good, you look great! I truly believe in that.

I don’t want anyone to feel self-conscious, thinking, "Oh, this is showing," or "I don’t like my tummy." That is why we offer items for everyone, from bikinis (though that is not our main focus) to burkinis, providing full coverage and everything in between. It is all about how much you want to cover and which parts of your body you want to feel comfortable with. Maybe it is about sun protection, cultural preferences, or even something like wanting to cover varicose veins with three-quarter tights while pairing them with a tank top.

It is all about creating pieces that you can mix and match to reflect your own style — what you like, how you want to feel, and what makes you feel confident.

Instagram: @coegasunwear

— Could you share a little bit about the process of what goes into designing and then creating the swimwear pieces?

— I usually design many of the women’s pieces with myself in mind as the wearer. However, as I transitioned to creating more modest pieces, I focused on those who actively preferred and chose that style. I enjoy talking to people to get a sense of what they like, dislike, or feel is missing in the market.

For me, it is all about having these conversations and understanding the needs of the people who would wear these garments. It is about ensuring we create pieces that truly cater to their preferences and make them feel comfortable and confident.

— How do you focus on sustainability within the brand?

— Sustainability, for me, is a few things. First, it is about not wasting anything, which is something that we have been conscious of right from the start. Like I said before, I grew up in a large family of nine kids, we wasted absolutely nothing and that has always stuck with me. I felt as though it was important for me to carry on that mindset when I was creating the business. For me, sustainability is about not throwing things into the landfill; instead, it means using everything to generate as little waste as absolutely possible.

The other thing, for me, with sustainability is creating something that is long-lasting, so it is not fast fashion and won’t end up in the landfill in a short amount of time. Another thing that seems to be more of a buzzword lately is the use of sustainable fabrics. We started using recycled sustainable fabrics back in 2014 and it was something that I was very passionate about trying. At the time, we didn't promote it because the general feedback I got was people will not like the idea of wearing fabrics that were made from recycled fish nets. So, we didn't really put that out there too much in the beginning but as society has become more in tune with the environment and with sustainable practices, we definitely advertise that more heavily even though we started using sustainable fabrics back in 2014.

Facebook: CoegaSunwear

— What are some of your favourite pieces?

— The Slim-Kini, we have it in three different lengths. We have the short version, which is kind of like mid-thigh and mid-bicep. Then we have the three-quarter length, which comes down to the calf, and the sleeve is a three-quarter length, and then we have the full length, which is full sleeve and full right down to the ankle. I just think it is such a nice piece! It is comfortable, and you look good in it. We have created it with our stitching lines and our fabric placed in a way that is flattering for all body types. So, I think it is quite a flattering piece and I really like that.

— Could you share a little bit about the importance of wearing UV-protected clothing?

— Yes! I grew up in Canada, and there wasn't a lot of information about sun protection back in the 60s and 70s. Sun cream was unheard of, basically, and we would get burnt. As I became a teenager, I became very conscious of covering, putting a hat on, long sleeves, that sort of thing. So, I have a lot of sun damage that I have had to have removed over the years. They do say that babies and young children are affected more when they are sunburnt at such a sensitive age, leading them to have a greater risk of developing skin cancer. I didn't want my boys to have to go through any of that, so I was extremely cautious about sun exposure for them. And one thing for me is that chasing kids around to try and get sun cream on them is really difficult! Now, you can just give them a rash guard or a suit and a hat, and you will only have to put some suncream on a couple of small areas; it is a lot easier for sure.

— Are you able to share any exciting upcoming projects COÉGA may be working on?

— Well, we are not ready to share but we do have some things in the pipeline. I would say just keep an eye on COÉGA socials and what we are up to. One of the things we do have coming up this year is our 20th anniversary. So, we have been doing a few events over the course of the year for our 20th anniversary celebration. We also have an event coming up which will be posted on social media for people to win a spot at. That will be out there pretty soon on our social media, so watch this space!

by Sahira Dharamshi