Sun Safety Alliance

From Sun Safety Alliance Photos

1. Describe your where you grew up.
I grew up in Aarberg, Switzerland close to the Swiss French boarder in a small historic town. My parents owned a business. The house we grew up in had a big backyard with a vegetable garden. I am the oldest of three, most close to my sister. My mother began making clothing for us children and grew to be professional tailor, creating custom clothing for her clients. Our family speaks Swiss then learned German and French in the first and second grade. English is my fourth language!


2. Where did you meet your husband?
We grew up in the same town, followed each other around since Kindergarten. My husband’s parents owned a local fashion retail store. We both eventually graduated from our own colleges and met again per coincidence in London, where we studied. We hosted a couple of parties together. No dating yet… no interest… yet! A few years later, a trade show in Zurich Switzerland united us once again. It was there, that we fell in love and have been together, (twenty years), ever since.


3. Why the name AYANA?
The name AYANA was inspired by the "Amaranth" flower, a bloom in Greek mythology that never fades. Reflecting this longevity, AYANA's high quality fashionable UV-Protective apparel personifies the everlasting femininity, beauty and style of today's modern woman. I wanted a short, skin related name, (longevity or never fading), that was easy to pronounce in any language… we also have the advantage of always being listed first since it starts with an “A”!


4. Why sun safe clothing?
When we moved to California six years ago, Frank and I loved the sunny climate. But soon I discovered that my skin was changing. It developed age spots, wrinkles, and a loss of firmness. I have always lived a healthy lifestyle, and since my skin is the most important organ, I like to treat it as my most expensive garment. I learned that it is from permanent exposure to the UV-Rays, even on a simple drive out to Los Angeles. My first reaction was to increase the amount of sunscreen I applied daily. Then I began my search for a simpler alternative. I discovered UV-protective clothing, yet was disappointed in its lack of style. So while visiting Australia, I began business research on UV protective clothing because of the country’s fantastic conceptual vision of sun safety… It was after that trip that I was ready to start my venture!

From Sun Safety Alliance Photos

5. How did AYANA team up with the Sun Safety Alliance?
I was looking to team up with a skin cancer awareness organization and contacted the Sun Safety Alliance. After a few great brainstorming sessions, we decided to begin our collaboration.


6. What’s your inspiration for the SSA line’s logo?
We wanted to create a logo that works for men and women; that’s fun and encourages becoming aware of the sun without being afraid of it. I worked with our graphic designer and created a combination of the sun and a cancer cell, that’s right a cancer cell! We all have them in our “system”.

7. What is your vision for AYANA Apparel in the near future
To offer sustainable, fashionable clothing for everyday wear with sun protection for women and children