Storm Reid On Her Empowering Swimwear Collection With Pacsun

By Blake Newby ·July 2, 2021July 2, 2021

If you’ve taken a peek at actress Storm Reid’s Instagram feed in the past few days, you’ve probably caught a glimpse of her basking in the Grecian sun, flicking it up in some of the chicest swimwear imaginable. For the eye-catching looks, we have Reid herself to thank, who just released a line of must-have swimsuits with brand Pacsun in celebration of her 18th birthday.

“I like to be different and I don’t like to follow what other people are doing,” the star tells ESSENCE. “So I thought, ‘Hmm, what is something that I can put out in the world that will catch people’s eyes?’ I of course do everything from a space of authenticity and passion and I’ve just always loved swimsuits.” Reid says that she has her older sister to thank for the swimwear obsession. “When I was little, she started buying me swimsuits every year and it just morphed into this huge collection. Every year I’m buying tons of swimsuits, so why not create my own?”

Courtesy of Pacsun

But to truly understand swimwear is to understand the complex relationship that women have with their bodies. Reid’s hope is that the collection can aid in supporting healthy interactions. “Thankfully I have a pretty good relationship with my body and I know that I was created in a beautiful image—we all were,” she says. It’s just about embracing that. I’ve created a great relationship with my body with being so young because I am very active, I like to be outside, I like to work out. All of that has helped with my self image and how I view myself. But like I said, we are perfectly imperfect and there’s just things that we have to accept and embrace.”

Courtesy of Pacsun

When asked to reflect on what she thinks 13-year-old Storm would think of the current her, the star become especially reflective. “God, that makes me emotional,” she says. I’ve been an emotional wreck—but I hope she would think she’s very cool and that she’s doing really cool things in the world and she’s not selfish even though she’s doing things that make her happy and is trying to make her dreams come true. So I hope she would be proud of me.”

Shop the entire ArashiBlu Pacsun collection, available in XS-XL here.

TOPICS: fashion pacsun storm reid swim suits