Mother’s Day with Jamie Banks of Change of Scenery
We caught up with Jamie Banks ahead of the Mother’s Day weekend to chat about her launch of Change of Scenery, how she juggles life as a designer and being a mom of 3 - and how, often, her kids are next to her in the design room. Any mom knows the tribulations of being pulled in different directions - and poolside, that may mean handstand and cannon ball contests - but one thing that should be no contest is having a swimsuit that stays on! Read what Jamie looks forward to this Sunday and learn a bit more about her industry background in swimwear and what shoppers can look forward to from her latest collection presenting at SwimShow this July!
SS: Firstly, Happy Mother's Day! Tell us how you'll be celebrating!
JB: Thank you! And Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! If all goes well, I will be lucky enough to start the day with a kid-made breakfast in bed, which means anything they can reach in the cabinet on their own, and is not hot! (hopefully, my husband will sneak in a hot coffee). Then I get all my homemade presents in bed. I know about all of them because all three of my kids can’t keep a secret and have been talking about their school projects non-stop! They tell me all about it and then say “but I’m not supposed to tell you.” We are having some friends over for brunch and a playdate. I am hoping it will be nice weather in NY and I will get to spend the day at our local beach with the people I love!
SS: On your site you say, "we envision a world where a woman can put on her bathing suit and feel like the best version of herself" - as a mom, what do you look for in your favorite swim styles?
JB: When I’m in a setting that calls for a swimsuit, I usually have one kid hanging on me while the other two are calling my name to watch them do something or other (handstand contest, cannonball, you know the drill). My bathing suit needs to stay up for sure! And it can’t be uncomfortable. I always have too much going on to worry about tugging and pulling it down or putting it back in the right place. And I would rather be enjoying the handstand contest than worrying about my swimsuit! At the same time, I want to look good and feel good – you know, just a little bit sexy. Those suits that strike the balance are hard to find.
SS: Can you tell us a bit more about your backstory of how you started Change of Scenery?
JB: I have been a Design Director of RTW and Swim for over 15 years. I have loved building other brands and especially brands who have such a loyal customer base for good reason – because they are brands that make women happy. I started my career at Kate Spade New York, where I launched their RTW collection in 2007 under our brilliant creative director Deborah Lloyd. I left Kate in 2010 and spent a few years at Milly and Shoshanna where we produced everything in NY. I learned so much by being very hands on from development through production. Shoshanna really knew her customer and she always stayed true to the problem she was solving with a focus on separates and fit. We used to get beautiful letters from customers who said they had never felt so great in a swimsuit before, and they felt like the most beautiful girl on the beach. It was really very special and the reason I love what I do. As designers, we have a real opportunity to make women feel wonderful through product.
In 2014 I went back to Kate Spade to oversee design for ready-to-wear and RTW-adjacent categories, including swimwear. I was lucky enough to work with the incredible team at Swimwear Anywhere on that collection, which was quite a different experience from making swim in NY. The SWAW team are the true industry experts in the category, and they made swim even more interesting and fun. I loved working on a specialty category where you could be really focused on who the customer is, what she needs, and how to design for her.
By 2020 I was overseeing 15+ categories at Kate Spade in RTW and licensing. In July 2020, at the height of Covid, Tapestry made the difficult decision to eliminate the RTW team at Kate. I loved my job at Kate Spade very much and quite honestly thought I would work there forever. It took me some time to figure out what it was that I loved so much about that job, but ultimately, I discovered that it was two things – I love spending my days working on a brand I believe in; I love creating product that solves a problem for the customer and, as a result, lifts her up.
I never thought I would launch my own brand, but it became clear that the brand and product I wanted to work on didn’t exist. So much of swim and resortwear is tricky and complicated right now. Beautiful designs, but for a very specific woman who has, let’s say, very little responsibility besides herself. In January 2021 I set out to create it – all the pieces I want but just could not find -- styles that are easy, breezy and effortless; tasteful and appropriate, but also chic and sophisticated. And that’s how Change of Scenery was born.
SS: What are some key styles you think we'll see in swimwear this summer?
JB: For me, it’s most important that our styles are versatile and can work hard for their spot in her closet. This means coverups which can be worn a few ways, like our Tracy Shirtdress which can be worn buttoned up for day, unbuttoned in the sun, or open as a duster for poolside. And swimsuits that work harder for her and can double as a bodysuit, look great with the perfect pair of denim cutoffs, and our Pull-on Rachel Skirt.
After years of barely-there swim I’m seeing a return to classic and sophisticated styles that are above all pretty and flattering. If there’s anywhere she wants to feel great about herself, it’s having fun in the sun and enjoying the freedom of getting together with friends this summer!
Finally, the reign of the one-piece continues, but what’s less predictable and fun is if it’s paired with a beautiful, scooped back. Our Lindsay One-Piece has been an influencer favorite for us because it has tons of support in the bust and torso, but it’s super modern in the back.
SS: What does being a mom and an entrepreneur mean to you? How do you juggle both worlds?
JB: I’ve always had big dreams of motherhood and being a professional, and the struggle to succeed in both is real. I know that it’s impossible to split my time and energy equally between my kids and my business, but that doesn’t stop me from trying! Yes, now that I am my own boss I can be more present in my kids day-to-day and I love that so much. But the hardest thing for me is the balance. I have work flexibility now, but I have also committed to growing and building this business and I don’t want to let myself or my customers down. I never put work before family but Change of Scenery is my newest baby, and it’s pretty high up in the pecking order.
What I’ve learned since I started this entrepreneurial journey is that being a mom and an entrepreneur leverages some pretty similar skill sets – multitasking, thinking on my toes, making quick decisions. And that I don’t have to separate my business from my family. In fact, I feel even more fulfilled when I don’t. My daughters come home from school and immediately run to drape on the mannequin in my office (they have their own bin of swim and coverup fabric remnants and are pretty good with T-pins for a 9 and 7-year-old!) They hear me on video calls and ask me what I’m working on, and I always tell them when we get an order, and where the customer is in the country. The other day, their friends were over for a playdate. They set up an office and made advertisements for a pillow company they want to start. They’re not playing ‘kitchen’ because they never see me cook, but I am certain that I am setting a great example for them and that’s the best feeling of all.
SS: Any summer vacations planned?
JB: My husband is from Boston, so we head to Cape Cod for the last week of the summer. We usually rent a house right on the beach and spend our days bouncing from beach to lobster rolls to inflatable water park. Oh – and ice cream every single day! I’m going to spend the whole week in our Deb One Piece, beach ready at a moment’s notice!