Meet the Founder: How Jo Davis Is Redefining Luxury Swimwear for Women with Larger Busts

The HELD SWIMWEAR founder Jo Davis shares the personal frustration that sparked the brand, why she moved to Portugal to perfect the collection, and how confidence has become the driving force behind every design.

Finding swimwear that looks beautiful is one thing. Finding swimwear that offers genuine support without compromising on style is something else entirely.

For women with larger busts, the search has often meant choosing between fashion and function. Elegant silhouettes frequently lack support, while supportive swimwear has traditionally sacrificed style.

It’s a challenge that Jo Davis, founder of HELD SWIMWEAR, understands better than most.

Having spent more than 25 years working in the fashion industry, Jo knew first-hand that women deserved better. Rather than accepting the limitations of traditional swimwear design, she set out to rethink it completely, creating a collection that places engineering at its heart while maintaining the sophistication of luxury fashion.

I recently visited Jo at her London studio to learn more about the journey behind HELD SWIMWEAR and the innovative thinking that’s changing the way women experience swimwear.

A Personal Problem That Became a Business

The inspiration behind HELD SWIMWEAR wasn’t born from market research. It came from years of personal frustration.

“I’d wanted to create a solution for women with larger busts for a long time,” Jo explains. “Every swimsuit on the market seemed to follow the same approach, and I couldn’t see how I could make one that offered significantly better support.”

It wasn’t until 2024 that everything fell into place.

Rather than trying to redesign the swimsuit itself, Jo realised the real challenge was the way traditional swimwear attempted to support every body shape using the same construction.

That breakthrough led to HELD SWIMWEAR’s signature innovation: an integrated swim bra built discreetly inside each swimsuit, creating what Jo describes as a two-piece support system within a one-piece design.

The result is a swimsuit that delivers exceptional support while maintaining elegant, contemporary styling that women genuinely want to wear.

Building a Brand from the Inside Out

Like many founders, Jo quickly discovered that turning an idea into reality required far more than creativity.

One of the biggest decisions she made was relocating to Portugal to work closely with the manufacturers responsible for bringing the collection to life.

Being close to production allowed her to oversee every stage of development, refining the collection through countless rounds of sampling until every detail met her exacting standards.

“It’s been a long process,” she says, “but every iteration was worthwhile.”

That commitment to getting the product right reflects the philosophy behind the brand itself: taking the time to perfect every detail before launching to customers.

Where Luxury Meets Engineering

At first glance, HELD SWIMWEAR feels like a luxury fashion label.

Clean lines.

Elegant silhouettes.

Beautiful Italian fabrics.

But hidden beneath the surface is an extraordinary amount of technical design.

Unlike conventional supportive swimwear, which often relies on bulky construction, HELD places much of the engineering within the integrated swim bra, allowing the outer swimsuit to remain beautifully refined.

The result is swimwear that offers support without looking overtly functional.

Every panel, seam and layer has been carefully considered, while gentle shaping and premium fabrics create a flattering silhouette designed to make women feel both comfortable and confident.

Confidence Beyond the Beach

While innovative construction sits at the heart of HELD SWIMWEAR, Jo believes the real product isn’t the swimsuit itself.

It’s confidence.

“Confidence means something different to everyone,” she says.

“For many women with a larger bust, wearing swimwear can be one of the times they feel least confident. If HELD SWIMWEAR can change that, then we’ve achieved something incredibly meaningful.”

It’s a philosophy that resonates throughout the entire collection, encouraging women to stop worrying about what they’re wearing and simply enjoy the moment.

The Moment That Made It All Worthwhile

Ask Jo about her proudest moment so far, and she doesn’t talk about production milestones or launch plans.

Instead, she recalls a customer trying on the collection for the first time.

The woman, a G-cup, became emotional after discovering she could finally enjoy both support and style in a swimsuit.

“There were tears,” Jo remembers.

“I’ll never forget that moment.”

For a founder who created HELD SWIMWEAR to solve exactly that problem, there could hardly be a more meaningful endorsement.

Looking Ahead

With the first HELD SWIMWEAR collection launching this summer, Jo is already looking ahead.

Plans are underway to expand the range with complementary pieces, including bikini separates inspired by the popularity of the integrated swim bra, while new colourways and future collaborations are firmly on the horizon.

Her long-term ambition is simple.

To create the brand women immediately think of when they want beautifully designed swimwear that never asks them to choose between style and support.

---

🎥 Watch the Interview

We also sat down with Jo Davis to hear her answer some of our questions on camera, sharing more about the inspiration behind HELD SWIMWEAR, the challenges of building the brand and why confidence is at the heart of everything she creates.

Watch the full interview on Instagram:
HERE