Abigail (White) Edman ’21 is a Rhode Island native who always loved the beach. Growing up, she found that all major beach brands were influenced by the West Coast and didn’t reflect the unique experience of East Coast beach towns. The dream of creating an East Coast beach brand burned in the back of her mind for years until her husband, Caleb Edman ’22, encouraged her to make it a reality. The Sundance Company was born in Summer 2022.
Sundance is a distinctly East Coast swim and beachwear brand that is inspired by New England summers. Abigail designs sustainable swimwear that is made from recycled materials and produced in small batches. In addition to her East Coast wear, she will also offer limited time runs that reflect other coastal destinations she’s visited, such as Costa Rica, where she studied abroad during her undergraduate studies in the School of Business.
What started out as a small direct to consumer e-commerce business became a brick and mortar store in April 2024. Set in the bustling vacation spot of downtown Newport, The Sundance Company stands just a half-mile from the beach. With only 200 square feet of retail space, Abigail has had to come up with many creative solutions to make the most of every inch of space available. The limited space has not limited her sales, though. Having a beachtown storefront has increased her sales and placed her within a network of other local business owners who support and encourage one another.
Her faith in Christ impacts every decision she makes for her business. It is the reason why the shop is closed on Sunday mornings. It prompts her to write Bible verses on packages before she ships out a new order. It is her motivation for thinking carefully about fashion and making conscious decisions to source products ethically, combat overconsumption, and steward the earth’s resources well. As the name suggests, Sundance is positioned to be a bright light in the community that conducts business with excellence and integrity.
In the future, Abigail wants to see her brand grow enough to the point that she can take a step back out of the day-to-day operations and focus solely on design and development. But for now, she is grateful for every day she has been given to build a brand that brings attention and gives back to the East Coast beaches that shaped her.
