Jessica Liao Mayers Sells Swimwear Brand Slate Swim
The founder sold her minimalist swimwear company in a seven-figure deal after growing the business for over a decade.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Business Strategy
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Founder Jessica Liao Mayers completed the sale of her swimwear brand, Slate Swim, in a seven-figure deal in July 2026. She now plans to transition into a new business venture by launching a contemporary womenswear brand called Knitte in spring 2027.
Why it matters
The sale marks the end of a long-term growth phase for the company, which Mayers started as a small personal project in 2015. This divestment allows the entrepreneur to pivot her focus toward a new startup in the fashion industry.
Slate Swim operated with 92% of business coming from direct-to-consumer sales, while wholesale accounted for 8%. The brand maintained a 36% year-over-year growth rate during its final three years of ownership.
The players
Jessica Liao Mayers
She is the founder and former owner of the swimwear brand Slate Swim who successfully grew the company from a small home-based operation.
The details
Starting with only a $300 investment, the company was initially produced in an apartment using a sewing machine before scaling up to secure 22 retailers at the Agenda Trade Show. The business avoided paid advertising until 2021, relying instead on reinvested earnings to fund production, photography, and e-commerce growth.
Timeline
November 2015: Jessica Liao Mayers started Slate Swim.
2021: Slate Swim began investing in advertising.
July 2026: Mayers completed the sale of Slate Swim.
Spring 2027: Mayers plans to launch Knitte.
Market Landscape
The brand highlights the broader retail trend where founders prioritize the direct-to-consumer business model over traditional wholesale distribution. This strategy mirrors the path of many independent fashion labels that achieve scale through lean operations and reinvested earnings.
Customers of the brand should not expect immediate changes to product availability or shopping experiences as a result of this ownership transition. The sale primarily marks a corporate change for the company's management and long-term development strategy.
The takeaway
Bootstrapping a brand from a minimal investment of $300 shows the efficacy of focusing on direct-to-consumer sales channels early on. Aspiring entrepreneurs can learn that reinvesting earnings is a viable path to funding growth without immediate need for external advertising spend.
Further reading
Read more about industry trends in Business Strategy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Times of India.
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