FOUNDER’S TAKE NO.3

NATALIJA DEDIC STOJANOVIC | MIAMI BEACH | 10.30.24

How swiftly the tides can turn in this industry! I must admit, I had a goal for the platform we’d been cultivating for years. While I always recognized its significance for growth and connections, my thoughts were predominantly centered on one pressing question: what else does the industry need?

I've always valued community and market focus, but a few years ago, my vision expanded in an instant.

I remember it vividly—I was booking tickets for a Rolling Stones concert. As I was scrolling through their website, I came across a description for the "No Filter North American Tour” t-shirt. It said, "This design celebrates the relevance of Swim Week Miami while subtly pulling inspiration from the city’s Art Deco architecture.”  I realized that our event was resonating far beyond my original dreams. A Rolling Stones have a t-shirt called Miami Swim? 

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards highlight Miami’s spirit with our event! That realization struck a chord deep within me. It was like a light bulb went off, showing me the connection we were building with the culture around us.

Looking back to our beginnings, when our Paraiso casting director, Jeanny Gallo, and I were in the office at 3 a.m., meticulously taping Sergio Rossi shoes for the show next day, our eyes half-closed from exhaustion. That moment feels like a world away compared to just a few days ago, when I was invited to present Swim Week and its future at the Hearst Tower, originally the International Magazine Building. I hadn’t planned on traveling for the next few weeks, but the chance to share our vision in New York with this team is simply too enticing to pass up. Ok, and seeing Adam Driver at my favorite Lucille Lortel Theatre in Hold on to Me Darling with my friend Aleks. I think I’ll book that trip! :)

Each step we take brings us to this moment, where we hope our passion resonates with a wider audience. What we do now shapes our future and the stories we tell. Each choice we make creates connections that inspire and uplift, inviting everyone to embrace their own journey. Different aspects of culture can and should intersect creating new ways to inspire creativity.