Montce

A South Florida native, Alexandra Grief used her creativity and ingenuity to turn her side hustle into an international brand. With few resources, she started making swimwear in 2009 from her Fort Lauderdale apartment, where friends and customers stopped by for a curated, custom swimwear look that was made to order.

In 2013, Ali opened the first Montce store in Ft. Lauderdale. The second-floor showroom had no street visibility, but it did have a homey charm that felt like an extension of the designer’s studio/store/apartment. Customers — obsessed with Montce's flawless fit — were more than happy to head there for their bikini fix, and the South Florida swimwear hidden gem would not remain a secret spot for long. 

As the business (and buzz) kept picking up, Ali’s brother and business partner Devin quit his accounting job in NYC. Devin — transitioning from finance to fashion — started working in a multifaceted role at Montce, even filling in for sales associates in the Fort Lauderdale store.  Like all successful business partners, the siblings' skill sets are complimentary, with Devin now the COO and Co-CEO and Ali Creative Director and Co-CEO. While the days of Ali and Devin working in-store and overseeing every detail are long gone (they now rely on their invaluable 40+ person team), it's still very much a family business.     

Today, in addition to the Fort Lauderdale location, there's a new Montce store Miami Design District location, plus it's sold at over 70 stockists worldwide. It's also been featured in top publications including Vogue and Marie Claire, and worn by celebrities including Kendall Jenner, Priyanka Chopra, Chrissy Teigen, Jennifer Lopez, and Emily Ratajkowski. 

Despite the fast growth, Montce's formula for success has remained the same since day one. Quality fabrics, nostalgic prints, and advanced construction details make each bikini stand out, and extensive fit testing and quality control ensures that they're both flattering and comfortable. This effortless blend of style and substance, combined with an obsessive focus on fit, is what sets Montce apart — and why their customers only shop Montce once they’ve tried on the brand.