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Marialexandra Garcia, a Venezuela-born small business owner who is based in Palmetto Bay, has created Outplay Gender Neutral Swim & Sportswear.
Outplay is a swim and sportswear brand with a mission to create apparel for “self-assured individuals who don’t feel comfortable in or represented by traditional activewear brands.”
Garcia has been interested in fashion design since childhood.
“I’ve been designing since the age of 10 and dressed my first bride when I was 14,” Garcia said. “Designing and producing clothes has been second nature for practically my entire life. I graduated from Savannah College of Arts and Design in 1997 and shortly after started my first business in the fashion industry.”
She explained what motivated her to try something different.
“As a bridal designer for so many years, I always found it rewarding when I made custom gowns,” Garcia said. “On the special day when I showed the bride her final finished dress, I knew I had done my job when she cried tears of joy — but that was my art making someone happy for just one day. After so many years in the industry, I felt I wanted and needed to do something that touched people’s lives beyond just one day.”
Garcia said she wanted to do something that made a difference.
“That’s what we do at Outplay; we make people’s lives better by giving them the confidence to get back out to being outside, having fun, being with their friends and family.
They no longer have to worry about being uncomfortable in their clothes and the way they want to present themselves to the world.”
She said she believes everyone should be able to look and feel great in what they are wearing.
“We offer an alternative for those who don’t feel represented by other brands because of sizing, cuts, colors and patterns, or simply because they don’t feel truly seen.”
Garcia said that her products enhance the confidence in the people she serves by providing them with activewear that empowers them to feel comfortable expressing who they are to the outside world regardless of gender or size.
“We currently don’t have a storefront, and all products are available online,” Garcia said.
“As a company with a fully online presence, I’ve been able to use digital platforms like Messenger to answer customer questions and keep track of orders. This allows us to connect with customers very quickly in a personal, efficient manner.”
She recently added some new sportswear pieces to satisfy the demand and cater to the latest trends customers want. For information, visit her website at https://outplaybrand.com/.
