Would You Wear SPF 50 Clothing?
By Laurel Pantin, Teen Vogue
Loyal readers of the Teen Vogue Beauty Blog know that we're all about sun protection. Nothing gets us worked up like a great new sunscreen formula or high SPF lip balm. It's also pretty clear that we love to shop...A LOT. So when we came across Mott 50, a new clothing line that offers UPF (UPF means Ultraviolet Protection Factor, and is like a SPF rating for fabrics) 50 sun protection in every single item, we flipped! Every piece of the collection is super cute and insanely wearable-gone are the days of frumpy, mom-tastic sun protective gear! Thanks to its co-founders, Anne and Monique, keeping your skin safe is easier and chicer than ever.
How did you guys meet?
We met while studying at Boston College and have been best friends ever since!
What gave you guys the idea to create Mott 50?
We are both skincare fanatics! Sun protection, in particular, is important to us for two reasons: First, the skin cancer prevention aspect (one of us lost an aunt to melanoma and one of our mothers has had two incidences of it); secondly, it wards off premature aging. We realized you can't wait until much later in life to protect your body and your beauty. A tan fades, but wrinkles don't!
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What gives the clothes their UPF level of 50?
Some of the fabrics were created with a special weave to achieve the 50 UPF. Others were treated during the dye process to increase the UPF to 50.
Where do you get inspiration for the designs? How would you describe the look of the line?
Our inspiration comes from everyday wearable clothing. The line is bright, approachable, and has lots of fun gold accents. We love gold!
What was the biggest challenge in starting your own company?
Taking the plunge! It's daunting but very exciting.
What's the best thing about being your own boss?
The freedom of our schedules…and being able to slot in a yoga or Pilates class at 2pm!
What advice do you have for girls who want to start their own line or business?
Be confident in your idea. Starting a business and hoping that it gains traction can be a slow process. But if you are passionate about something, others will listen!
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What other beauty products do you love?
We both love La Roche-Posay and other brands like Olay, Neutrogena, Vichy, and Aquaphor. Finding a lip balm with SPF is really important as well-we both use Fresh's Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment.
Why the name Mott 50?
The planning began at our apartment on Mott Street, and the clothing has a UV Protection level of 50.
What are you future plans? Would you ever do swimwear or winter gear?
Right now, the items in the line are meant to be mixed and matched for everyday outdoor living: hitting the beach, hiking, boating, spending a day at the park, etc. But down the line we'd love to do a dedicated ski/snowboard line since the sun's rays are so strong up in the mountains. We have hopes of doing a golf and tennis line as well. Swimsuits could also be a great addition to Mott 50, and perhaps we'll even create our own sunblock and skin care. Time will tell!
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