Outlook Magazine - Fall 2017

ALUMNI NEWS

DREAMS ALUMNA MAKING A SPLASH WITH HER OWN SWIMSUIT COMPANY DESIGNING

Plus-size model Robyn Lawley, left and center, and model Samantha Hoopes, right, wear Iztali designs in the 2016 and 2015 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues, respectively.

M

elissa “Missy” Isaksson knows she has a long way to go to realize her dream of creating one of the

The name of her company, Iztali Swim, www.iztaliswim.com , means reality is the dream, a reflection of how she wants to live her life. “It’s kind of a wanderlust idea. There are so many amazing, beautiful places in the world. They’re almost dreamlike and unreal. I want people to have that feeling when they

She has continued that success with Iztali. In the 2015 through 2017 SI issues, she has had 18 suits modeled either in the magazine or online. “The SI exposure really creates a major flow of traffic to your website,” she said. “It gives your business credibility.” The Sports Illustrated impact — more than 70 million people see the issue — is undeniable, with about 60 percent of Iztali’s orders placed by men for their wives or girlfriends, Isaksson said. International orders have come from Australia, Bali and France. Although most Sports Illustrated models are svelte — the magazine this year featured women of various sizes — Isaksson says her designs can be worn by women with many body types. “Robyn Lawley, an Australian model, size 12, wore three of my pieces in her 2016 photo shoot posted online, and she looked incredible. The average woman can definitely wear my swimwear,” she said. Isaksson designs her swimsuits for impact. “You’ll rarely get basic pieces from me. I feel a really interesting swimsuit will make people look your way while drawing their attention away from any body issues you may feel you have,” she said. She draws inspiration for her designs from everyday things she sees and experiences. “I’ve been doing a lot of macramé. A piece based on that turned out to be one of my best sellers,” she said. The skills she learned at UW-Stout have been put to good use. “We did so much pattern-making. All the edits we did to the patterns really help me in my business now. I can just look at a pattern and do what I want to, and it almost always turns out,” she said.

leading swimsuit brands in the world.

For now, the 2012 UW-Stout graduate of the apparel design and development program still mostly is a one-woman company. She designs the

suits — mostly bikinis — and makes them by hand. She fulfills orders, arranges photo shoots

travel the world and wear my swimwear. Create the life you want to live, and make it your reality. It’s an inspiration I like to remind

THERE ARE SO MANY AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN THE WORLD. THEY’RE ALMOST DREAMLIKE AND UNREAL. I WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE THAT FEELING WHEN THEY TRAVEL THE WORLD AND WEAR MY SWIMWEAR.

for models and maintains her website and social media sites.

myself of every day,” she said.

At the end of her busy days, however, she’s seeing encouraging signs that her designs are more than good enough to compete well on a world stage. More importantly, she’s doing what makes her happy. “I love what I’m doing, and I love the swimsuits,” she said.

Isaksson previously designed for the company Kate Swim, with several of her pieces making the Sports Illustrated magazine swimsuit issues in 2013 and 2014.

Models Cindy Prado, left, and Sarah Elainna, right, wear Itztali swimsuits during 2017 photo shoots in Miami and Hawaii. Christopher Brown photos.

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