Love Island star’s ethical swimwear brand backed by Manchester venture capital fund

Fearless Adventures, the Manchester investment firm launched by Dominic McGregor, co-founder of Social Chain, has made its first investment in Swim Society, a swimwear brand started by the former Love Island contestant Montana Brown.

The fund, launched last month by McGregor and entrepreneurs David Newns and Charlie Yates, has invested six figures into Swim Society to help it scale and tap into a fast-growing ethical fashion market.

With COP26 in full swing and a broader trend in demand for sustainable living, the market for ethical fashion is expected to increase from £4.6bn in 2020 to £6bn in 2023.

Swim Society has used at least 95% of recycled material on their first two collections.

Each item is produced from recycled post-consumer polyester made from items including plastics which have been collected, sorted by hand, and melted down.

The brand is also “pioneering a no-categorisation ethos” offering the same style for every size they carry so no plus, curve or fuller bust.

Additionally, Swim Society aims to celebrate a diverse community of women, aiming to represent as many body shapes as possible by holding open castings for their audience where anyone can apply to be part of its campaigns.

Montana Brown, the founder of Swim Society, said: “The team and I are so excited to work with Fearless Adventures.

“They’re entrepreneurs who have been on fast growth journeys, so their empathy, experience, and expertise are hugely valuable.

“Unlike other investors we approached, they’re a proper partner that refuses to take a one-size-fits-all approach. Refreshingly, they are as passionate as we are about fostering a community and having a positive social impact.”

Dominic McGregor, partner of Fearless Adventures said: “Like true digital natives, Montana and I met on (streaming audio app), Clubhouse.

“She asked me for advice on growing her brand, and as we talked, I realised this was an entrepreneur with the Fearless spirit and a brilliant D2C business.

“We’re living in a generation where businesses are fronted and started by people of influence, so we’re actively investing in those businesses with strong creator connections.

“Demand for Swim Society is on fire, with fashion giants ASOS and Topshop stocking the products online and fashion mavens like Glamour and Cosmopolitan declaring the label bang on-trend.

“My partners and I are massively looking forward to supporting Montana and Swim Society as it races to the next level.”