Catharina Duval de Navarre just wanted a wetsuit that she loved. After falling under surfing’s spell, she’d tried all the suits on the rack, but as a fashion designer she had a hunch she could do it better. Cat’s vision was to make a wetsuit that accentuated the feminine form and flattered the shape of the wearer – a design curiously inspired by the lines of a traditional corset.
“So, something super feminine, but also high performance, which is a bit of a juxtaposition, which I sort of love, actually,” explains Cat over the phone from her Bondi base.
Boasting bold colours, design minimalism, performance malleability and a cut that flatters all kinds of body shapes, Naluka wetsuits possess genuine allure. However, transforming a concept into a functional object of desire was ‘a bit of a journey,’ as Cat puts it.
Cat was adamant that she wanted to use Yamamoto rubber for her suits. The Japanese-made material is renowned for its premium quality, durability and warmth. Finding a contact wasn’t hard, but establishing a clear line of communication and ensuring the finished items met Cat’s high expectations was a challenge. It took three rounds to get the rubber right, and then there was the sampling.
“I think most styles went through four sampling rounds, and then the shorts went through at least five or six. They had like a couple extra ones because I just wanted to make sure that there’s no water getting in… that’s what I found with other brands that water gets in, because we all have like a curve on our back. So that doesn’t happen with mine. They’re quite snug.”
For the testing process, Cat leaned on her ocean-minded friends and asked for honest feedback.
“Yes, it takes a village…” insists Cat. “I wear tested them myself, and then gave them to surfer friends to wear test and fit model… If you look at my brand, 90% of the models are my friends.”
Having a great product is the foundation of any successful brand, but if you want to see a critical mass of people floating around lineups in your wetsuits, you have to be prepared to stand on rooftops and shout about them… or at least find someone who will. Otherwise, you’ll get lost in the digital noise.
While Cat enjoys curating and producing her own content around Naluka, she also sees value in working selectively with influencers. “I think influencers work really well if you pick the right ones… I guess the best ones are the ones that genuinely love the suit, and then it continues to appear in their content.”
These days Cat is hit up so often by influencers wanting her suits that she struggles to respond. “I don’t have time. It’s crazy… but every now and then I reach out to someone that I like.”
So far, the approach is working and Naluka is steadily building a loyal following amongst women seeking a stylish, premium-quality product that looks great and lasts.
Cat’s hard work and innovation hasn’t gone unnoticed and she was recently awarded Waverley Council’s ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ award. She also received a $10k grant from investment platform ‘Stake’, under the ‘Stake Ambition Project’.
Running a small business is a kaleidoscopic challenge, but Cat knows that ultimately it all comes back to what people think and feel when they pull on a Naluka suit.
“I want them to sort of feel one with the ocean… less friction between you and the water. If you’re comfortable it increases your playtime so much. The sort of comfort that lets you forget about it altogether. And on top of that, I want them to feel beautiful and elegant and confident.”
