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If you ask Mallory Pruitt, the 25-year-old founder of Mal Swim, why she started her swim brand, she’ll tell you it wasn’t some grand plan. There was no pitch deck, no investor backing, no big strategy meeting—just a sewing machine, a few yards of fabric, and a deep love for making clothes that made her friends feel good.
“It started with making suits for my friends,” she says. “I just loved seeing them feel confident and beautiful in something I created.” What began as a creative outlet quickly evolved into something bigger. Mallory would spend late nights sketching, sewing, and experimenting with fit in her bedroom, fueled by the joy of seeing the women around her feel empowered in her designs. Then came the turning point: strangers began sliding into her DMs, asking where they could buy her swimwear. Word of mouth was spreading fast, and suddenly, this side project didn’t feel so small anymore. That was the moment it clicked. “I realized I had something special,” she says.
With just $400 saved from her waitressing job, Mallory took a leap of faith. She decided to bet on herself—and Mal Swim was born. What followed was a whirlwind of trial and error, long hours, and a whole lot of heart, but it laid the foundation for a thoughtful, body-conscious swimwear brand.
Fashion Meets Function
Designing clothes wasn’t new for Mallory—she’s been sewing and sketching since she was a kid—but swimwear stood out to her for one very personal reason: “As women, it’s not always easy to feel confident in swimwear, especially with the pressure and standards we’re constantly shown,” she explains. “I wanted to create pieces that feel good on real bodies.”
That intention is at the core of Mal Swim: suits that feel like a second skin and fit like they were made for you. “Swimwear should make you feel confident, not self-conscious,” Mallory says.
While many brands lean into trends, Mal Swim is rooted in balance, honoring fashion and functionality, beauty and wearability. “That’s honestly what I obsess over most,” Mallory says. “A suit can be beautiful, but if you can’t move in it or feel secure, it’s not wearable.”
She’s quick to point out that a great design is one you’ll actually reach for, not just pose in. And as a working model, that’s something she knows a lot about: “I don’t want to make something that’s just cute for a photo and then never gets worn again.”
Inspired by Texture, Travel, and Real Life
Mal Swim’s aesthetic pulls from Mallory’s personal archive of textures, vintage pieces, and travel moments. “Sometimes it’s the color of a tile in Italy or the way an old lace trim looks on a vintage slip,” she says. “I’m always thinking about what actually feels flattering on the body too. I like the balance of aesthetics and feeling.”
That eye for detail shows up in pieces like the Mila set—her personal favorite. “I designed it because I wanted something that felt a little different,” she says. “The fit is flattering and the shorts just make the kini so comfortable.” The Mila Shorts ($78), a low-rise micro swim short, has quickly become a standout, thanks to their versatility and effortless silhouette. Designed in a soft, stretchy fabric that hugs the body without digging in, the shorts double as both swimwear and a chic cover-up option—perfect for going from beach to brunch without changing.
Designed for Every Body
Inclusive design isn’t just a talking point for Mallory—it’s built into every step of her process. “I design for every body type and size, and I take fit feedback seriously,” she says. “DMs, comments, reviews—I’m in all of it because it helps me stay connected to what people need.” But her golden rule? “If I wouldn’t wear it or get excited about it, I’m not putting it out.”
Behind the Brand
Scaling Mal Swim from a solo project to a growing brand came with plenty of challenges. In the beginning, Mallory did everything herself—design, shipping, customer service, content, you name it. “I didn’t have a blueprint or investors,” she says. “Learning how to hand off parts of the process and build a team has been one of the hardest but most necessary parts of growing.”
Despite the highlight reel most people see online, Mallory is candid about the reality. “It’s not as glamorous as it looks,” she laughs. “People see the photoshoots and travel, but most of it is problem-solving, fixing fit issues, chasing down fabric delays, dealing with production hiccups. You have to be super hands-on.”
So, what’s next for Mal Swim? “I’d love to expand into more categories and continue building a community around the brand,” Mallory says. “But I also want to keep the same heart—it started small and personal, and I want it to always feel like that.”
Her advice to other women looking to start a brand? “Don’t wait for perfect timing. I started with almost nothing and figured it out as I went. If you care enough and stay scrappy, it’s possible. And if Mal Swim is any indication, there’s beauty in going all in—one well-designed suit at a time.
