Summer 2025: Permanent Vacation Collection Available Now
Summer 2025: Permanent Vacation Collection Available Now
by Erika Togashi March 08, 2021 4 min read 3 Comments
To celebrate International Women's Day, we sat down with Erika Togashi, founder and creative director of SEPTEMBER. We discussed her story - the inspiration for building her brand, the women who have inspired her, and her biggest win as a female business owner.
TL: How and when did you start surfing?
ERIKA: I started surfing right after college when I moved to Santa Barbara, CA and worked for Patagonia. The Patagonia culture encouraged everyone to go for a quick paddle at lunch, however, I was a complete novice and had no idea what I was doing so I usually ended up floundering around at C Street or Miramar. A few years later, I spent a good amount of time in Sayulita, Mexico and was able to start progressing in my surf abilities. However, by then I was living in San Francisco and quickly realized that I am a fair weather surfer who does not like wetsuits. Whenever I made progress in my surf abilities in Mexico, I lost it because I never surfed in SF. Before I moved to Bali, I probably had not touched a surfboard in five years.
I have always wanted to be able to surf, so when I left J. Crew and New York City, my goal was to become a better surfer. So, I picked up and went on a six-week surf trip to Sri Lanka and Bali with the sole purpose of improving my surf skills. Long story short, I would say my surfing really began when I moved to Bali seven years ago.
Indonesia 2017
TL: Can you tell me about any women who have impacted or influenced your career?
ERIKA: This is a tough question because so many women have influenced me throughout my life and career. My mother has been a huge influence in my life. She has always followed her heart and gut even if that meant going against the societal norms of her generation. That perseverance has definitely been passed on to me.
Two women who have really impacted my career are Maria Huang and Violetta Villacorta (Vio). They were two senior designers at Patagonia who took me under their wing, supporting and mentoring me during the formative years of my career. When most people in the industry were telling me that I needed to have a design degree if I wanted to pursue being a designer, Maria and Vio believed in me and gave me the confidence to pursue my goal as a designer despite not having formal a formal design degree.
Costa Rica 2020
TL: How has it been starting a company as a woman? Have there been any unexpected surprises?
ERIKA: To be completely honest, I never gave my gender much thought when I started SEPTEMBER. Knock on wood, I have not faced any major road blocks or hurdles that I felt were a result of being a woman. That said, there have been times when I felt like I needed to speak a little louder or be a little more firm in order to get my point across in a room filled with men...
I feel very fortunate to have the relationships I have developed with numerous women since SEPTEMBER launched. I am a designer by trade and do not have a business or marketing degree, so there have been times when I felt overwhelmed and almost frozen when faced with big business decisions. During these times, I have been lucky to have many female mentors to support and guide me. I am thankful for those who have been incredibly generous with their time and experiences and look forward to doing the same with the next generation of female business owners.
Indonesia 2019
TL: Advice for the younger generation of women who want to want to start a company?
ERIKA:My two pieces of advise are:
1) Have a clear vision and stick to it.
2) Don't be afraid to ask questions. People are always eager to share their experiences and there is no shame or embarrassment in asking for help.
TL: Biggest win as a woman?
ERIKA: My proudest moment since SEPTEMBER launched was when SEPTEMBER won Title Nine's Mover's & Makers Pitchfest in 2020. Title Nine has created a half-mentorship, half-competition to support and bring female entrepreneurs together. They want to encourage women to lead, risk and own their position in a male-dominated industry so I am incredibly honored that SEPTEMBER was chosen as one of the winners amongst a very talented group of women entrepreneurs.
Being recognized for creating a company that is focused on ethical labor practices and sustainable materials in a world where it is easy to compromise on those areas validated my vision and goal. Being part of a cohort of women who are helping to shape the future is unbelievable and is an opportunity that will be ongoing.
TF: How do the SEPTEMBER customers inspire you?
ERIKA:The genuineness of each and every customer I have had the opportunity to meet with, talk to, and email with, has been an inspiration. Each customer has been eager to share their individual experience's and reasons for supporting SEPTEMBER and I leave each interaction feeling even more committed to our mission. I am honored to have women from all walks of life and age ranges (16 to 65+) support what I'm building and continue to strive to create a brand and product that appeals to everyone.
March 08, 2021
I am bursting with pride and in awe of your grit,determination,steadfast pursuit of your vision and dream and success.
Barbara Furlong
March 08, 2021
You are one amazing, impressive, and inspirational woman!!!! Thank you for sharing your path. I wish you huge success with this great SEPTEMBER the Line swimsuit brand and in life!!!
Comments will be approved before showing up.
by Charlotta Linder May 20, 2025 3 min read
Erika and Nat discuss the SEPTEMBER x Alaia Mentawai collaboration, sharing their creative journey and what inspired the collection.
by Charlotta Linder January 24, 2025 2 min read 1 Comment
Discover why winter waves are always worth it—our top tips for staying warm, making every chilly surf session unforgettable, and enjoying those post-surf moments. 🍵
by Charlotta Linder October 07, 2024 1 min read
You can add a content block like this to your blog article sidebar, and use it for more details about blog authors, for example.
Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more …
Love the print and the fabric. Perfect for diving !
Great top, fits well and true to size. Super soft material. The print is vibrant and detailed. I surfed in it the other day. It was comfortable the whole time and stayed in place.
Great surf top! Fits true to size and is secure. I am a 34C and the S fits my bust well. I do wish the straps had a bit more elastic for extra support but very pleased with the overall fit, comfort, and functionality!
I have been a die hard Lucky Bottom girl for some time now! They are tried and true: Secure, supportive, and stay put so I don’t have to worry about any slips in the lineup. Fit is more moderate but very flattering; material is soft and buttery and very very comfortable. I have multiples of the bottom and while I can wear a XS or S - I will say I prefer the fit of the XS to ensure extra security, especially when wearing these bottoms in bigger waves of consequence. If you are between sizes, I would recommend sizing down!
This top is so good! Super comfy, supportive, and it actually stays in place when I’m surfing or just laying out. The fabric feels really nice and the fit is super flattering. Love the square neckline and the textured fabric. I’ve been reaching for this one nonstop. You can really tell the quality in the fabric!
I love this super cute suit! Double lined so it stays in place while I’m surfing. Awesome color pattern.
Pattern is so cute, fits perfectly, true to size and super Flattering, and for sure the most comfortable bikini i got. Cant wait to have some more September in my closet🌺
I adore this sun crop top/rash guard. The fabric is super soft (I have never tried anything near this soft), and it fits so nicely! Perfect for longer surf sessions in the tropics/during summer, to stay protected from the sun. I used to surf in bikinis only, but this top has been a total game changer now as I want to protect my skin more. The thumbhole detail helps to protect the upper parts of my hands too, and makes it stay in place. Can’t recommend it enough!! Love it!
Really liking to surf in this. The coverage is perfect for me, feels comfortable at all times, it’s buttery but also resistant. I’ve gotten compliments on the cool green pattern too!
This top is exactly what I needed for the right support and a comfortable yet stylish feel (my biggest fear with bikinis is to see my top fly off mid wipeout!). The fabric is very soft and the color is actually super vibrant, I’m definitely loving it.
I really love the fit of these surf shorts! They are high waisted and I love surfing in shorties like these. The color and material is also nice. The only thing I don't absolutely love is the banded elastic waist, just because sometimes it is not the most flattering if you are in between sizes. Mine are really comfy and fit me well, I am a pretty standard medium and they seem true to size. They stay put in the surf and I got lots of compliments on these :) would recommend.
I surfed in this top and its super cute and stays put! Usually I end up with the same style of sports bra - esque surf top because it's all that really stays on in the surf, but this one is flattering and I didn't have to re-adjust it either. I got lots of compliments on this! Personally I took the padding out, it's nice that you can remove it if you want. I also really love the blue color and the ribbed material feels nice. Very comfy.
Exactly that I was looking for for my trip to Indo, stylish, functional, high quality sun protection. Highly recommend!
Can not get enough of the high neck for hawaii and tight fitting torso for surfing north shore
I love that instead of two removable pads like in most bikinis, this has one long thin padding insert that doesn’t move around. Great design & quality! Perfect for surfing.TTS.
Judy Suchy
March 10, 2021
Great article Erica! Wishing you much luck on the road ahead❤