Today we’d like to introduce you to Nya Hughes.
Hi Nya, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
On January 1, 2018, I bought my first sewing machine and started self-teaching myself sewing. I told my mother for months I wanted to start making bikinis, and she didn’t believe me until I bought my sewing machine. It took me about 2 years to finally make bikinis decent enough to wear in public. In 2020, while supporting black-owned businesses, a well-known and big bikini brand (Frankies Bikinis) posted my sewing page on their Instagram post, and I blew up with a little supportive following. With the help of my fiancé, I started my business, Sunkissed Babes, on July 31, 2020.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
At the start of my bikini brand, I was preparing to get a double lung transplant. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, Sjogren’s syndrome, in 2019, and it caused pulmonary fibrosis, which is scaring off the lungs. As time passed, my lung function decreased, and a double lung transplant was the only option to live a somewhat functioning life. So as I went through this life-changing process, I started my bikini brand and participated in local pop-ups. On September 21, 2022, I officially got on the double lung transplant list for UF Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida. I had to close my business temporarily so I could be ready for the big call at any moment, and once I had the transplant, I would be in recovery for about 3-4 months. During this break, I am creating collections and preparing for when I decide to start my business again. I hope to be selling bikinis by the Spring of 2024
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a seamstress that creates and specialize in making bikinis from scratch. I buy patterns from a pattern designer, order fabrics, and sew everything together. I would say I’m known for making cute and simple bikinis. I’m proud that I could do all that I do even though my health makes it hard to do. I struggle to breathe every day and have to use oxygen 24/7, so creating and making something is a blessing to me. What sets me apart is that I make what I make. If I can’t see myself wearing it, I won’t make it. I have an idea, I feel inspired, and I create it. Self-expression, if you will.
How would we have described you growing up if we knew you were growing up?
I have always had a thing for fashion. I wanted to model at one point, be a fashion blogger (I still do), and be a designer. I knew I wanted to do something in the fashion world. I was also an artist. I was very into anime and the drawing style, and I used to draw all the time, but as time went on and I got busy with college, I lost touch with my artistic side. I loved going to the beach growing up. My family went to the beach at least once a year during the summer, a family beach day. I loved the water so much that I taught myself how to swim. During summer camp, I always went to the community pool on Fridays. I also have a love for dance. I was in a hip-hop dance group for about a year or two, and I was in the dance department for my performing arts school, Cypress Lake High School. I wanted to be a Miami Heats dancer for years.
Contact Info:
- Website: sunkissedbabes.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/shopsunkissedbabes?igshid=Y2ZmNzg0YzQ=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopsunkissedbabes
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCoa_DMSkmGyobGpOtjEYcSQ
