Our Story

NERA started with a feeling we both knew too well: swimwear that never quite fit right, never felt fully comfortable, and somehow made the whole experience feel more performative than enjoyable.

After growing up in team environments, we realized how much we missed the sense of community, confidence, and belonging that came with them, and how rare that feeling can feel as you get older.

So we decided to build something different.

NERA is about creating elevated swimwear that fits properly, feels secure, and looks good without sacrificing comfort. But beyond the bikinis themselves, we’re building a brand rooted in connection, confidence, and community.

We want NERA to feel fashionable but approachable. Wholesome but still hot. The kind of space where girls support girls, everyone feels welcome, and you can feel genuinely good in what you’re wearing.

xoxo, Liz & Miranda

“Bodies are not meant to fit swimwear, swimwear is meant to fit bodies.”

Meet Liz

I spent years buying size large tops to fit my cup size, only to end up with a band that would swim up on me and a bikini that never quite looked the way it should. Then, when I looked for swimwear online, I was faced with the inevitable dilemma of picking a cute set or choosing the bottom coverage I actually wanted. I just kept thinking: why don't swim companies offer more variation

The answer became NERA.

The idea realized in my 3rd year of university, when my field hockey team became my first (very honest) focus group. Not one of them had a swim brand they loved, maybe one with a cute print, but none with a real solution. I knew it was time for a brand fashion re-engineering for women who deserve better pieces, full stop.

We built NERA so women can look in the mirror and think “I look fucking amazing”, and never have to wish certain things were different about themselves or their swimwear. You deserve a bikini that holds you up and lasts a lifetime, not one you have to hold together.

Fun Fact: I've lived in 8 cities (Toronto, Montreal, Barcelona, Cape Town, Athens, Melbourne, Vancouver, and Andover), but I'll always call Toronto and Montreal home. So, naturally I love the Habs and Drake. When I'm not building NERA, you'll find me consignment shopping, reading about brand strategy, or working out in a heated pilates class or the spin studio.

Meet Miranda

I love to travel and procrastinate, so my vacation haul usually happens days before the trip. Still, that has never stopped me from placing an online order and trusting the optimistic end of the estimated shipping window.

I've become a bit of an expert on reading a size guide, but who woulda thought that wouldn't be a foolproof method.🤡 A shirt can be a little tight, jorts a little loose, but in a bikini, a sizing mismatch can be lethal (a lesson I've learned the hard way on more than one family vacation).

Meanwhile, I've worn the same bra size since the end of puberty, and I know I can order a bra online with complete confidence at any given moment. Sooo why couldn't bikinis work the same way?

As it turns out, they totally can and that's precisely what NERA is all about. What started as an idea is now becoming a reality, and we're thrilled to have you along for the ride.

Fun Fact: Despite being raised in the rural ends of Burlington, Ontario (like quite rural, we have six chickens), four years at the University of Toronto converted me into a city girl. Between crashouts over which font we should use for our tags, you can catch me tanning at Stanley Park, gasping for air at I Don't Run Club, or scheming up my next coffee shop to try (but an iced vanilla latte from De Mello Coffee will always have my heart).

What We Stand For

Community

Creating connection through shared experiences.

Precision

Thoughtful, intentional design that prioritizes fit & function.

Originality

A distinct point of view in product and brand.

Integrity

Doing things right, even when it feels harder.

Vitality

Energy, movement, and feeling alive in your body.

Ambition

Building something category-defining.