Meet the Founder: The Woman Behind Maracujá

Confidence, Integrity, and a Vision Born in Brazil

Maracujá is more than a swimwear brand; it is the expression of one woman’s journey to embrace who she truly is, and to help other women do the same.

Behind every stitch, every fabric choice, and every design, there is Lorena Maia Pinheiro, a Brazilian woman whose passion, directness, integrity, and creativity have shaped Maracujá into the home of a NZ swimwear company, ethically made in Brazil, and confidence-driven design.

Born in Belo Horizonte, Lorena grew up surrounded by warmth, colour, and culture. Brazil isn’t just her home, it’s the source of her identity. A place that taught her self-expression, sensitivity, and the joy of being unapologetically herself. It also taught her the art of swimwear.

In Brazil, bikinis aren’t reserved for summer.
They are part of life.

“My bikini is freedom,” she says. “In Brazil I’d clean the house in a bikini, dance while playing my favourite songs, organise my life in a bikini… it’s me at my most natural state.”

This authenticity is now woven into every Maracujá piece.