technical by nature

Swimming gave me a love for function—design made it beautiful.

I’ve always been drawn to the technical side of things.

As a competitive swimmer, it started early—stroke mechanics, body alignment, and breathing efficiency. In the water, you’re tuned into everything. That kind of focus sticks with you. It’s what made me obsessed with refinement, with how things work and how small changes can create big shifts.

But I actually quit swimming at 18. I was done, I never wanted to swim another lap again. In my mid-twenties, as I was feeling a little bit lost, swimming came calling again, and I joined a masters swim team (think swim team for adults). Then I moved to LA, and guess what? Swimming had my number, and led me to open water swimming…I even started racing again, including the Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim, and a few triathlons sprinkled in. Open water taught me something new: it’s one thing to race in a controlled environment; it’s another to dive into cold, unpredictable water with current and chop and fog (and maybe a few sharks). You have to trust your technique. Trust your gear. Stay calm, even when it’s hard to see what’s ahead…and just keep swimming.

Now, I am in the pool again again, 3 1/2 years after taking a “break” to have a baby. Starting slow, but finding my way back.

That mindset—of coming back, of adapting, of being fully present in the body—got me thinking…this is actually a huge part of how I design.

I don’t just love product—I love what makes it work. How it moves, how it’s constructed, how it performs in real conditions. I want it to feel effortless, even though I know how much thought goes into making it that way, the wearer should not.

Performance design, at its best, is invisible. It supports the wearer and gets out of the way. It’s technical without being showy. It’s deeply empathetic.

And like swimming, it’s something I keep returning to—over and over again.

Want to Collaborate?

This post is part of my series, “Beneath the Surface,” where I explore the mindset, mechanics, and meaning behind performance design.

If you’re building gear that works as hard as the people who wear it—
let’s chat. I’m always looking to connect with teams or individuals who value thoughtful, functional design.