Filipina entrepreneur, Jemima Ty, dropped out of university to pursue her passion project, Blackbough Swim, a celebrity-loved swimwear brand making waves around the world.
When Jemina Ty spent her saved up allowance on a swimsuit, she was thrilled to receive something stunning to wear, but after the one-piece arrived see-through and flimsy, she decided to turn this experience into the beginning of a business.
She was born and raised in the Philippines and attended an all-girls Catholic school in a Chinese-Filipino community before attending Ateneo de Manila University to study Management Economics. After making an unfortunate swimwear purchase, Ty began to develop her creative instincts all on her own, playing around with different prints and swimwear designs as a form of self expression.
Ty has explained before how her Filipino identity has helped her throughout her entrepreneurial journey. The country’s tropical climate and deeply rooted beach culture would eventually become a natural inspiration for Blackbough Swim. Ty featured florals, bright colors, and island imagery in her earliest swimwear collection, which have remained recurring elements of the brand.
People began to notice Ty’s designs after producing a small batch of bikinis for herself and her friends, leading to strangers approaching her to ask for the details. Soon after, Ty’s entire home was overflowing with bikinis and so in 2017, she decided to take a major risk by leaving university to fully concentrate on Blackbough Swim. She found herself executing every part of the business, acting as a designer, developer, and marketing and e-commerce expert.
Social media allowed Ty to expand beyond the Philippines and by 2023, Blackbough had over 900,000 Instagram followers and was being seen on some of entertainment’s biggest names. What made Blackbough stand out amongst competitors was its flattering silhouettes that were still comfortable, durable, and made for all different body types. Blackbough’s price range was also more affordable compared to other brands without compromising the product quality.
The brand gained even more publicity in 2023 after Ty developed a collection inspired by Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty, helping demonstrate the growing influence of Asian women on TV and in retail. Since launching Blackbough, Ty has been recognized by Forbes as a top female founder making an impact in the fashion industry and was named one of Tatler Asia’s Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow in 2023.
Without any formal fashion experience or training, Jemina Ty was able to transform a disappointing purchase into an internationally recognized swimsuit brand, proving that a homegrown Filipino idea can make waves beyond the islands that inspire it.
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