Behind the Seams
Kelsey Kay Creates Swimwear That Speaks
By Victoria Koelkebeck | Photos by Tyler Boshard
Remember when a swimsuit wasn’t just something you wore—it was a ticket to summer? That sentiment is woven into my core memories: swimming in hotel pools, birthday parties spent deck-side with sweaty pizza, grocery store sheet cake and watermelon juice dripping down my chin.
As we get older, swimsuits evolve into symbols of leisure—permission to pause. They signal time set aside, to photosynthesize in the sun, to do something a little out of the ordinary. Like floating beneath the hair-dryer breeze at Lake Mead with a beer in hand, sipping tequila under a dayclub cabana, or hosting the most legendary slip-and-slide your neighborhood has ever seen.
For Kelsey Kay, founder of Sunlight Lover, swimwear isn’t just functional—it’s a feeling.
“Her design roots were sewn in Illinois, far from the sunlit West that would come to define her brand. Every fall, she watched her mother conjure costumes from bolts of fabric, transforming ordinary material into witches, princesses and things that go bump in the night. While her mom crafted magic by the yard, Kelsey haunted the floor for scraps—piecing together her own tiny creations like a pint-sized Dr. Frankenstein, stitching life into leftover threads.”
Years later and two time zones from that start, Kelsey has built a collection of gowns, resort wear and, most recently, swimwear.
“I remember going to my friend’s place, dropping my bag and phone, and just riding around Venice Beach on a bike in my bikini,” she says.
That carefree, sun-drenched memory is the essence Kelsey pours into her designs. Sunlight Lover pieces are colored like sunset sherbet—soft, bright and a little nostalgic. Their syrupy hues shift beneath the waterline when worn. Her pieces backstroke through decades: high-waisted silhouettes worthy of old Hollywood, a ‘60s floral appliqué monokini serving pure flower power, and now a wave of ‘70s-red, orange and pink suits—something you might imagine Farrah Fawcett wearing.
Kelsey’s apartment, where we’re having this interview, feels like a laboratory of sunshine and imagination. Fabric swatches sprawl across every surface, threads in every hue claiming their own chaotic territory—everywhere, that is, except the small table where her two parakeets, Peter and Perry, perch behind a room divider draped in iridescent peach chiffon.
Peter & Perry
I wander over to the birds, charmed by their jewel tones—Peter is sky blue, while Perry is a deep teal. I hope for a Snow White moment; that they’ll land gracefully on my hand. Instead, they let out a shrill squawk in their tiny alien language and launch into a loop around the apartment.
“They don’t like the mannequins either,” Kelsey assures me. “Peter inspired my swimwear pieces last year.”
I can see why.
There’s something surreal about sitting in her apartment and studio during this interview—reminiscent of how I felt working for the ballet in Salt Lake City. I’d wander through the wardrobe closets, the outside world hushed beneath layers of tulle, corseted bodices waiting patiently for new stitches. And now, here we are, lounging on an overstuffed indigo couch, talking about her creative process and her upcoming Endless Summer line—just before the lights, music and models bring her swimsuits to life on the runway.
She creates swimwear meant to make you feel free—like summer is infinite and your only plans are to float, laugh and ride along the coast (or at the lake or river—real or lazy).
But balancing artistic integrity with commercial viability is never easy—Kelsey walks that line with intention. That means embracing climate-conscious practices like the cut-and-sew method, where each garment is designed, patterned, cut and stitched individually.
It’s a technique that allows total creative control—but at a cost. Cut-and-sew is notoriously labor-intensive and difficult to scale. Still, for Kelsey, the payoff is worth it. Like her fashion icon John Galliano—whose designs embody both breathtaking artistry and complex controversy—she believes clothing can be both meaningful and challenging.
The fashion industry discards an estimated 92 million tons of textiles each year—roughly one garbage truckload every second—and is on track to reach 134 million tons annually by 2030 if consumer trends don’t shift, according to Earth.org. And in the United States alone, the average consumer throws away 81.5 pounds of clothing every year.
“Against this backdrop of overconsumption and industrial excess, Kelsey takes a radically different path. There’s no offshoring to sweatshops or high-volume factory runs. Sometimes, she even skips the sewing machine in favor of hand-stitching—when it best serves the garment.”
“If someone is working with me, I can make sure that they’re getting paid fairly and can oversee their working conditions,” she explains. “So I’m big on making sure things are made in the U.S.”
Beyond ethical manufacturing and labor practices, Kelsey has another mission: to grow Sunlight Lover enough to give back. While the beach inspired her brand and holds many positive memories for Kelsey, she’s quick to remind me it carries more complex meanings for others.
“There are literally thousands of people who go to the beach because they’re homeless,” she says. “I know how scary it is to not have a place to go at the end of the night.”
Through Sunlight Lover, Kelsey looks forward to giving back to those who find shelter by the shore.
She remembers her “why” when asked what inspired her to start her own swimwear line: She believes she can help people through it. One bikini, one-piece and monokini at a time—each article of clothing carrying a little hope in every thread.
That same intention shows up in her day job, too. Kelsey is part of the team behind “Awakening,” a major Las Vegas production, where she helps care for and repair the intricate costumes worn by more than 300 characters.
A veteran of New York Swim Week, Phoenix Fashion Week and fashion events in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Kelsey brings the same craftsmanship to the stage that she does to her own studio. For many, a job is just about making ends meet. For Kelsey, every stitch—whether for a production or a personal collection—is part of building something that outlasts trends.
For Kelsey, part of the joy of being in a runway show is selecting the right model for each look. You can imagine how fabric will move, but you can’t predict how a model will feel in it—or how the design will come to life in motion.
That’s what she loves—seeing their faces light up.
“It’s like a Say Yes to the Dress moment,” she smiles. “But you get to have that moment for every look you send down the runway.”
For Kelsey, swimwear is more than fabric—it’s a thread woven through memory, hope, and quiet rebellion. Each stitch pulls together stories of sunlit afternoons and unseen struggles, crafting garments that hold more than just shape—they hold meaning.
So say yes to shopping locally! It’s not just stylish, it supports designers like Kelsey Kay. Follow her journey at @sunlightlovershop and explore her collection at SunlightLover.com.
SPECIAL THANKS: Shoutout to Danielle, River and Josh Buma for letting us shoot in their pool!
