Reshma Chattaram Chamberlin is the co-founder and chief brand and digital officer of Summersalt, a generation-defining lifestyle brand known for its data-backed fit and designer quality products. (It uses 1.5 million measurements from 10,000 body scans!) In 2020, Fast Company named Summersalt one of the 10 Most Innovative Style Companies of the Year.
Reshma and her co-founder Lori Coulter launched Summersalt to change the conversation around swimwear and address a true market gap by creating designer swimwear without the designer price tag.
My personal style … You’ll see me most often in no-fuss, elevated basics. I’m not super trend-driven—though you won’t catch me in skinny jeans or with a side part! I’ve been focusing on quality over quantity, choosing classics I can wear again and again. And when I’m traveling, my motto is to stand out while fitting in, like mixing Indian textiles with jeans or leggings when I’m visiting Mumbai or a great blazer and jeans in Paris.
The best piece(s) of fashion armor in my closet … Loungewear that can be dressed up or down. The comfort and versatility are a life changer! I love our Summersalt leggings for working out, but I also can pair them with sweaters for WFH and travel. The same goes for our sweat sets—I love that I can wear them together or break them up.
I’m making my mark by … Changing the conversation around swimwear. I’m so proud of our ‘Every Body Is a Summersalt Body’ campaign we launched earlier this summer, which showcased 24 incredibly accomplished and diverse women. It’s been rewarding to hear from women that this campaign finally made them feel seen, and to see them sharing it with their daughters. Of course, we’re not perfect, but we work really hard to create a welcoming experience.
A professional/personal challenge that keeps me up at night … I just got two puppies, and they are literally keeping me up all night! But they are so cute and bring us so much joy. Professionally, I’m always looking to be more creative and thoughtful for our customers. I’m always asking myself: how can we deliver on our promises even more?
In moments of self-doubt, I build myself back up … By reminding myself what makes me unique. No matter who you are, you can have imposter syndrome. When that happens, focus on what makes you essential. We all have superpowers—go back to yours.
My version of personal care … Life is extremely busy right now with a new home, two puppies and summer mode at work! So when it’s finally time to wind down, I like to put on my Summersalt PJs and get in bed with a great show. Right now, I’m rewatching one of my favorites, Gilmore Girls!
Words of wisdom that resonate with me are … The grass is green where you water it. When you put energy and effort into something, you reap the rewards.
I stay true to my passions by … Working hard! People often mistake passion as being easy, but you have to put in the work and hours to make your passion a reality.
I’m most proud of … What Lori and myself, along with our team, have built together at Summersalt. It’s been truly amazing, and I can’t wait to see where we take it.
One message I’d like to share with all … Go for it! Whether it’s paragliding, trying a new food or starting a company, you don’t know until you try. You will fail. You will succeed. My failures have been spectacular, but they were just stepping stones. You’ll never know what amazing things can happen unless you try.
reshma’s favorite things …
Laura Katherine Sawyier is a women’s personal and wardrobe stylist and founder of the SALON X LKS event series. She is based in St. Louis and New York City. To find out more, visit lauraksawyier.com.
