EXECUTIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE U.S. BEACHWEAR AND FITNESS APPAREL INDUSTRY

EXECUTIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE U.S. BEACHWEAR AND FITNESS APPAREL

EXECUTIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE U.S. BEACHWEAR AND FITNESS APPAREL

INDUSTRY: HOW CEO-LED BRAND STRATEGY, INNOVATION, AND INCLUSIVE

INDUSTRY: HOW CEO-LED BRAND STRATEGY, INNOVATION, AND INCLUSIVE

DESIGN DRIVE COMPETITIVENESS IN A GLOBAL CONSUMER MARKET

DESIGN DRIVE COMPETITIVENESS IN A GLOBAL CONSUMER MARKET

ExpertInterview

ENTREPRENEURSHIP & FASHION

EXECUTIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE U.S. BEACHWEAR AND FITNESS APPAREL INDUSTRY: HOW CEO-LED BRAND STRATEGY, INNOVATION, AND INCLUSIVE DESIGN DRIVE COMPETITIVENESS IN A GLOBAL CONSUMER MARKET

EXECUTIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE U.S. BEACHWEAR AND FITNESS APPAREL INDUSTRY: HOW CEO-LED BRAND STRATEGY, INNOVATION, AND INCLUSIVE DESIGN DRIVE COMPETITIVENESS IN A GLOBAL CONSUMER MARKET

As part of Human Capital’s Career Trends Magazine ongoing series on executive leadership and industry transformation, Ana Paula Montanha, Editor-in-Chief of Human Capital Career Trends Magazine, interviewed the guest expert Morgana de Castilho Lima Naciff Wilhelms, an entrepreneurial chief executive in the beachwear and fitness apparel industry. In this conversation, Ms. Wilhelms shares her insights on how CEO-led entrepreneurship, innovation in high-performance and sustainable fabrics, and inclusive design strategies, developed through her leadership in brand building and product governance, strengthen competitiveness, operational resilience, and long-term value creation within the U.S. consumer apparel market.

INTRODUCTION:

WHY APPAREL LEADERSHIP STILLMATTERSINTHEU.S.ECONOMY

US consumerdemandremainsoneofthecentralengines ofeconomicactivity,andfederalretailindicatorsshowthat spendingcontinuestomoveatscaleevenamidvolatilityin prices,tradeconditions,andhouseholdbudgets TheUS CensusBureau’sadvanceestimateofUS retailandfood servicessalesforSeptember2025was$7333billion,up 02%fromthepreviousmonthandup43%from September2024,adjustedforseasonalvariationand holidayandtrading-daydifferences,butnotforprice changes(US CensusBureau,2025) Thesefiguresconfirm thedurabilityofconsumer-facingsectorsthatinclude apparel,accessories,andrelateddiscretionarycategories

Inparallel,household-levelexpendituredatafromtheUS BureauofLaborStatistics(BLS)showthat,in2023,the averageconsumerunitspent$77,280acrossallcategories, and$2,041specificallyonapparelandservices,reflectinga 4.9%nominalincreasefrom2022(U.S.BureauofLabor Statistics,2023a) Apparel’sshareofhouseholdbudgets, approximately26%oftotalannualexpenditures,may appearmodest,butitrepresentsahigh-frequency purchasecategorywheretrust,quality,andbrand credibilitydeterminerepeatdemand(U.S.BureauofLabor Statistics,2023a)

YettheUS appareleconomyisnotsimplyaretailstory Itis alsoaworkforceandsupplychainsystemspanning manufacturing,design,qualitycontrol,marketing,and distribution BLSindustrydataforapparelmanufacturing report825thousandemployeesinSeptember2025 (seasonallyadjusted,preliminary),illustratingapersistent domesticbaseofproductionactivityeveninahighly globalizedmarket(US BureauofLaborStatistics,2025a) Withinthatsystem,executiveleadership,especiallyCEOlevelentrepreneurship,increasinglydetermineswhether brandscompeteonpricealoneorondifferentiatedvalue anchoredinperformance,fit,andsustainability.

MorganadeCastilhoLimaNaciffWilhelmsoperateswithinthat leadershipspaceasanentrepreneurialchiefexecutivein beachwearandfitnessapparel Herexecutivefocusemphasizes threestrategicleversthatincreasinglydefinecompetitiveness intheUS consumermarket,performance-drivenproduct integrity,inclusivedesignthatexpandsaddressabledemand, andsustainabilitypracticesalignedwithregulatory expectationsandlong-termbrandequity Thisarticleexamines thoseleversthroughapolicy-informedworkforceandindustry lens,usingonlyUS governmentaldataandofficialguidance

MARKET DYNAMICS: CONSUMER DEMAND, LABOR REALITY, AND GLOBAL SOURCING PRESSURES

Federalexpendituredatarevealacriticalinsightforapparel leaders,purchasingbehaviorissteady,butpricesensitivity andcompetitivesubstitutionarehigh.BLSConsumer ExpenditureSurveyreportingshowsthattotalaverage annualspendingroseto$77,280in2023,whileappareland servicesspendingreached$2,041(US BureauofLabor Statistics,2023a) Forexecutives,thisimpliesamarket whereconsumerscontinuetobuy,butloyaltyisearned throughtangibleproductoutcomessuchasdurability, comfort,andconsistentbrandstandards

Onthelaborside,apparelremainsbothspecializedand operationallycomplex.BLSindustrydataforapparel manufacturing(NAICS315)indicatecontinued employment,andBLSoccupationaldataembeddedinthe industryprofileshow26,230sewingmachineoperators employedinapparelmanufacturingin2024,alongside2,750 first-linesupervisorsandmanagersofproductionand operatingworkersand2,290inspectors,testers,sorters, samplers,andweighers,underscoringthatqualityand productionremainhumansystemsdependenton coordinationandsupervision(US BureauofLabor Statistics,2025a)

Atthesametime,globalizationcontinuestoshapesourcing economics OfficialUS DepartmentofCommercedata fromtheInternationalTradeAdministration’sOfficeof TextilesandApparel(OTEXA)reportthatAugust2024 importsofcoveredtextileandapparelproductstotaled 9,7177millionsquaremeterequivalents(MSME),an increaseof129%fromAugust2023 Year-to-dateimports fromJanuarythroughAugust2024reached66,4284 MSME,up6.7%fromthesameperiodin2023(U.S. DepartmentofCommerce,InternationalTrade Administration,OfficeofTextilesandApparel,2024) These figuresreflectthestructuralrealityexecutivesmust manage,productdevelopmentandbrandgovernance occurwithininternationalsupplychainswherespeed, compliance,andqualityassuranceareleadership responsibilities,notback-officefunctions.

CEO-LEVEL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS COMPETITIVEINFRASTRUCTURE

TheBLSOccupationalOutlookHandbookdefinestop executivesasresponsibleforsettingorganizational direction,coordinatingoperationalactivities,andensuring thatstrategicdecisionstranslateintoperformance, compliance,andlong-termviability(US BureauofLabor Statistics,2024).Inapparelandconsumergoods,thatrole expandsfurther Executivegovernancemustreconcile creativevisionwithmeasurableproductstandards,supplier discipline,inventoryandfulfillmentlogic,andmarketing claimsthatcanwithstandregulatoryscrutiny

Morgana’sprofessionalleadershipposturefitsthis definitionofCEOentrepreneurshipasinfrastructure.In beachwearandfitnessapparel,sheoperatesinasegment whereconsumertrustiscreatednotbybrandingalone,but bythelivedexperienceofcomfort,fit,durability,and performanceunderstressconditionssuchasheat, moisture,friction,andrepeatedwashcycles TheCEO’s strategicresponsibilityistoinstitutionalizequalityand consistencysothatconsumerexpectationsaremet repeatedly,seasonafterseason

Thisisnotsimplyadesignchallenge Itisaworkforce managementchallengeinvolvingspecificationdiscipline, supplieralignment,andqualitycontrol,allofwhichare deeplydependentonhumansystems.BLSworkforce profilesinapparelmanufacturingillustratethatproduction qualityismaintainedthroughskilledoperators,supervisors, andinspectors,rolesthatrequireleadership-defined standardsandoperatingrigor(US BureauofLabor Statistics,2025a) CEO-levelentrepreneurshipsucceeds whenexecutiveintentistranslatedintoconsistentprocess ratherthanepisodiccreativity

INNOVATION IN HIGH-PERFORMANCE FABRICS: PRODUCT INTEGRITY AS AN ECONOMIC STRATEGY

Innovationinapparelincreasinglyfunctionsasaperformance andtruststrategy Infitnessandbeachwear,thecustomer’s evaluationofvalueisimmediate,stretchrecovery,opacity, comfort,seamintegrity,anddurabilityunderstress Morgana’s leadershipemphasisontechnological,high-qualityfabrics alignswithacoreexecutiveprincipleoftenoverlookedin fashionnarratives,inhigh-competitioncategories,product integritybecomesthebrand

Fromaworkforcelens,performance-driveninnovationaffects rolesandskillsthroughoutthevaluechain Higherstandards requirestrongertechnicalspecification,improvedtestingand inspection,andtighterproductioncontrols,allofwhich reinforcedemandforsupervisory,inspection,andskilled machine-operationrolesdocumentedinBLSoccupational dataforapparelmanufacturing(US BureauofLabor Statistics,2025a) Innovationintextilesisthereforenotonlya consumerbenefit,butalsoaworkforceandsystemsdiscipline thatstrengthensoperationalmaturity

Globalsourcingpressuresfurtheramplifytheimportanceof thisdiscipline OTEXAimportvolumesdemonstrateconstant inflowsoftextilesandapparelintoUS markets(US DepartmentofCommerce,InternationalTrade Administration,OfficeofTextilesandApparel,2024) Under theseconditions,differentiationisrarelyachievedbyaccess alone Itisachievedbystandards,qualitygovernance,and consistentperformancethatcompetitorscannoteasily replicatewithoutcomparableleadershipandoperational control

INCLUSIVE DESIGN AND BODY DIVERSITY: EXPANDING DEMAND THROUGH FIT, NOT MESSAGING

Inclusivedesignisoftenframedasamarketingposture In practice,itisanaddressablemarketstrategyanchoredin productengineeringandconsumertrust BLSexpenditure datashowapparelisaregular,recurringconsumer category,butspendingissensitivetoperceivedvalueand fit(US BureauofLaborStatistics,2023a) Forbrands,fit failurestranslatedirectlyintoreturns,dissatisfaction,and reputationalloss Inclusivesizingandfitconsistency expanddemandbyreducingfrictionandincreasing consumerconfidenceinpurchasingdecisions

Morgana’sapproachemphasizesdesigningpiecesthatfit diversebodytypescomfortablywhilemaintaining differentiatedaestheticsandhighmaterialquality. Strategically,thismodelalignsproductdevelopmentwith retention,repeatpurchases,andword-of-mouth credibility Inanenvironmentwhereconsumersspend measurableannualamountsonapparelandservices,the executiveobjectivebecomesconvertingcategory-level spendingintobrand-levelloyalty(U.S.BureauofLabor Statistics,2023a)

Thisapproachalsointersectswithconsumerprotection expectations TheFederalTradeCommissionemphasizes avoidingdeceptiveclaimsunderSection5oftheFTCAct, anditsenvironmentalmarketingguidancestressesthat claimsmustbetruthful,substantiated,andnotmisleading (16CFR Part260,2024) Whileinclusivesizingisnota GreenGuidescategory,thegoverningprincipleapplies, credibilityrequiresthatbrandpromisesmatchconsumer experience Inclusivedesignthusfunctionsnotonlyasa marketstrategy,butasatrustdiscipline SUSTAINABILITY AND ORGANIC MATERIALS: VALUE CREATION UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINT

Thesustainabilitycaseforapparelisincreasinglygrounded inmeasurablematerialandproductionrealitiesthatdirectly affectcoststructures,supply-chainresilience,andlongtermproductperformance TheUS Environmental ProtectionAgencyreportsthattextilegenerationin municipalsolidwastetotaled17milliontonsin2018, representing58%oftotalMSWgeneration,whileonly 14.7%oftextileswererecycled,equivalentto2.5million tons,withanadditional3.2milliontonscombustedfor energyrecovery(US EnvironmentalProtectionAgency, 2024) Thesefigureshighlightthestructuralinefficiencies oflow-durabilityapparelmodelsandunderscorethe economicopportunityembeddedinhigher-quality,longerlastingmaterials

Withinthiscontext,theadoptionofsustainableandorganic fabricsofferstangibleadvantagesacrosstheapparelvalue chain

“Entrepreneurship offered the ability to govern the entire product system, from fabric selection to brand standards “

Fromanoperationalstandpoint,higher-qualityfiberstend todelivergreaterdurability,improvedperformance retention,andreduceddefectrates,whichcanlower returns,extendproductlifecycles,andstabilizequality controlprocesses Fromasourcingperspective,sustainable materialsoftensupportgreatertraceabilityandsupplier accountability,improvingriskmanagementinincreasingly complexglobalsupplychains Morgana’sexecutive emphasisonsustainableandorganicfabricsreflectsa value-creationstrategythatalignsmaterialinnovationwith efficiency,resilience,andbranddifferentiation Ratherthan positioningsustainabilityasacompliance-drivenobligation, thisapproachtreatsresponsiblematerialselectionasa competitiveassetthatenhancesproductintegrity,supports workforceconsistency,andstrengthenslong-term enterprisevalueintheUS apparelmarket

EXPERT Q&A: MORGANA WILHELMS ON CEO ENTREPRENEURSHIP,INNOVATION,ANDTRUST

Whatmotivatedyourpathintoentrepreneurshipwithin beachwearandfitnessapparel?

Entrepreneurshipofferedtheabilitytogoverntheentire productsystem,fromfabricselectiontobrandstandards In beachwearandfitness,performanceandcomfortarenot negotiable,soleadershipmustbeaccountableforqualityand consistency

HowdoesCEO-leveldecisionmakinginfluencebrand governanceandcompetitiveness?

Inconsumergoods,theCEOdefineswhattheorganization refusestocompromiseon Ifqualityandintegrityare governedatthetop,thatdisciplinecarriesthroughsourcing, productioncontrols,andcustomerexperience

Whatroledotechnologicalfabricsplayinconsumertrust andproductlongevity?

Performancefabricsshapethelivedexperienceofthe product.Whengarmentsmaintaincomfort,support,and durabilityafterrepeateduse,trustbecomesmeasurable behavior,repeatpurchasing,referrals,andlong-termloyalty

Howdoesinclusivedesigntranslateintomeasurable businessoutcomes?

Inclusivedesignreducesfriction Whenconsumersknow abrandfitsthemconsistently,theybuywithconfidence, returnless,andstaylonger Thatisnotideology,itis retentionstrategy

Whyissustainabilityavaluecreationstrategyrather thanacostcenter?

Sustainabilityisincreasinglyacredibilitytest EPAdata showthescaleoftextilewaste,andFTCguidance reinforcesthatenvironmentalclaimsmustbetruthful andsubstantiated Realsustainabilitystrengthenstrust, andtrustislong-termvalue

Howdoexecutiveleadersbalancecreativitywith operationaldiscipline?

Creativitysetsdirection Disciplinesustainsthestandard Thestrongestbrandsbuildsystemswherequalityis repeatable,notdependentonasinglemomentof inspiration

Whatskillswilldefinethenextgenerationofapparel executives?

Operationalrigor,ethicaljudgment,andproductliteracy Executivesmustunderstandmaterials,consumer expectations,andcompliancerequirements,then translatethoserealitiesintoconsistentorganizational execution

CONCLUSION: THE CEO ADVANTAGE IN A TRUST-DRIVENAPPARELECONOMY

TheUS appareleconomyisshapedbyscale,consumer demand,andpersistentglobalcompetition Federaldata confirmthatretailsalesremainsubstantialandhouseholds continuetoallocatemeaningfulannualspendingto apparelandrelatedservices(US CensusBureau,2025; U.S.BureauofLaborStatistics,2023a).Atthesametime, theworkforcebackboneofapparelmanufacturing continuestodependonhumanskill,supervision,and inspection,reinforcingthatproductqualityisultimatelya leadershipandsystemsoutcome(U.S.BureauofLabor Statistics,2025a)

ImportdatafromtheUS DepartmentofCommerce underscorethepermanenceofinternationalcompetition, makingdifferentiationastrategicnecessityratherthana brandingpreference(US DepartmentofCommerce, InternationalTradeAdministration,OfficeofTextilesand Apparel,2024).EPAdatafurtherdemonstratethat sustainabilityisnolongeroptionalbutameasurable nationalchallengethatwillincreasinglyshapeboth consumerexpectationsandregulatoryscrutiny(US EnvironmentalProtectionAgency,2024).

Inthisenvironment,executiveentrepreneurshipbecomes thedecisivevariable MorganadeCastilhoLimaNaciff WilhelmsrepresentsaCEOmodelthatintegrates performance-driveninnovation,inclusivedesignas scalablemarketexpansion,andsustainabilityasa credibilitystandardgroundedinoperationalreality

ForUS competitiveness,theimplicationisclear,thefuture ofapparelleadershipwillbedefinedbyexecutiveswhocan governthefullsystem,productintegrity,workforce coordination,compliancediscipline,andconsumertrust, andconvertthosecapabilitiesintodurableeconomicvalue REFERENCES

16C.F.R.Part260.(2024).Guidesfortheuseof environmentalmarketingclaims ElectronicCodeofFederal Regulations https://wwwecfrgov/current/title-16/chapterI/subchapter-B/part-260/

US BureauofLaborStatistics (2023a) Consumer expendituresin2023 https://wwwblsgov/opub/reports/consumerexpenditures/2023/

US BureauofLaborStatistics (2024) Occupationaloutlook handbook:Topexecutives https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/top-executives.htm

US BureauofLaborStatistics (2025a) Apparel manufacturing:NAICS 315.https://www.bls.gov/iag/tgs/iag315.htm

US CensusBureau (2025) Monthlyretailtrade:Sales report,advanceestimatesforSeptember 2025https://wwwcensusgov/retail/saleshtml

US DepartmentofCommerce,InternationalTrade Administration,OfficeofTextilesandApparel (2024) August2024tradedata releasehttps://wwwtradegov/sites/default/files/202410/Press%20Release%20Aug%202024%20Data%20WriteUp%20%26%20Tablespdf

US EnvironmentalProtectionAgency (2024) Textiles: Material-specificdatahttps://wwwepagov/facts-andfigures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/textilesmaterial-specific-data