Courtesy of Nini.
Imagine you’re on a tropical island. The sun is shining, and the rhythm of the water is swaying as it crescendos to the shore. And there you are, sitting on a beach chair—fully clothed. This is the reality for many people due to the sun’s harsh rays. They have no choice between covering up and burning up. Kristine Thompson, co-founder of NINI, had this same dilemma while on a girls’ trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
“I felt completely insecure and covered up in Cabo,” Kristine recalls. “I thought, ‘Okay, this is terrible, there has to be better stuff out there that has sunscreen in it.’ I searched the world over and could not find exactly what I was looking for.”
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Courtesy of Nini.
Kristine realized a gap in the fashionable and protective clothing market, which inspired NINI. The fashion brand utilizes textile technology to provide UPF protection in its clothing.
“One of the important things for us and our brand is educating our customers,” Addy Thompson, co-founder of NINI, says. “A lot of people assume that when you put a T-shirt on, you’re protected from the sun, which isn’t always the case. We can make lightweight fabrics that still have protective properties by using fabrics woven with UPF technology.” This fabric technology is woven into the fabric, so it will protect your skin, even after multiple washes. The sun protection scale ranges from UPF 30-80, depending on the individual item.
Kristine launched NINI with her daughter Addy. With Addy’s youthful perspective on fashion trends and Kristine’s knowledge of timeless luxury, the mother-daughter duo set to bridge this gap in the fashion industry. The concept behind NINI’s first product collection was to create lightweight clothing options that could be worn from the tennis court to cocktails.
“When the idea first came to us, it really was about creating pieces we would want to wear,” Kristine notes. “We wanted the clothes to be fashionable enough so that a customer could convert from the activity they’re doing during the day to a lunch or cocktail hour.”
“We really wanted to bring a new style to our activewear that we didn’t see on the market, and that was a little bit more high-end and chic,” Addy adds. “We took a lot of inspiration from Parisian style. We wanted activewear that you could wear around the streets of Paris like you’re actually in an outfit rather than a top and leggings.”
Courtesy of Nini.
“If we can create things and give women the confidence and freedom to feel good about themselves, then I feel I have done my job” - Kristine Thompson
NINI’s stylish pieces are ideal for those concerned about the health and well-being of their skin, as this is what the brand’s DNA is all about. Unlike other brands that provide sun protection, NINI creates stylish and elevated luxury designs that women are proud to wear.
Courtesy of Nini.
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Courtesy of Nini.
“If we can create things and give women the confidence and freedom to feel good about themselves, then I feel I have done my job,” Kristine remarks.
Since finding success in the market with its first product line, NINI is now preparing to launch its second collection of UPF-protected clothing—swimsuit cover-ups.
Whether you’re traveling to a luxe tropical getaway, walking the streets of Paris this summer, or just want stylish and protective clothing to wear while in the scorching Phoenix sun, NINI is here. Kristine and Addy Thompson are paving the way for what will soon become a hot commodity.
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