A Teen Mom Turned Designer Makes Bikinis To Hide Pregnancy Scars

A.Lekay wants every woman to feel confident at the beach.

Meet Altrichia Cook, a 28-year-old mom and swimsuit designer in Lakeland, Florida.

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Her friends call her A.Lekay.

In 2013, A.Lekay was on the hunt for a well-made and fashionable high-waist bikini that would hide the scarring related to the birth of her now-9-year-old son.

She couldn't find a swimsuit with a waist high enough to cover the scars, so she worked with a tailor to create her own design.

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After posting photos on social media in her new beachwear, her friends began asking where she had gotten it.

And from there, Allusions by A.Lekay was born.

Allusions by A.Lekay

Allusions by A.Lekay

"The idea transformed into a business," Lekay tells BuzzFeed Life. "Allusions by A.Lekay came to me."

Two years later, Cosmopolitan's July cover girl Nicki Minaj is working her curves in a patriotic A.Lekay number from the brand's Rockstar collection.

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The suit is available via email.

She recalls being a young mom and feeling "left out" when she couldn't find any swimwear that accommodated her post-baby body and still made her feel sexy.

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The positive feedback she received after posting her custom-made swimsuit in 2013 taught her that other women shared similar feelings.

"As I have grown, I get so many thank-you emails of women thanking me," the mom and entrepreneur tells us. "One instance, a customer told me that she hadn't worn a two-piece swimsuit in over 20 years."

The designer tells BuzzFeed Life that the swimwear designs are also popular among women who aren't trying to mask their scars.

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A.Lekay says it's important to her that all women feel beautiful and sexy on the beach.

SuperNola Studios / Via Allusions by A.Lekay

For women who have any abdominal scarring, whether from pregnancy or surgery, Allusions by A.Lekay offers fashionable swimwear they can wear on their journey to rebuilding their body confidence.

Allusions by A.Lekay orders can be placed via email at [e-mail].

Leslie Joy Ickowitz / Via Allusions by A.Lekay