Behind Bubs

Meet the Founder

Bubs Studio was created by Christina Villarino, whose love of sewing was shaped long before she ever touched a machine herself.

Christina grew up surrounded by the craft. Her grandmother, Patsy, owned an alteration shop, where Christina witnessed firsthand the skill, patience. On her mother’s side, her great‑grandmother was a seamstress, the kind of woman who sewed all of her children’s clothes. These women unknowingly carved a path that Christina would one day follow.

In high school, Christina got her hands on a sewing machine again and was instantly hooked. She set her sights on making swimwear, unaware of just how challenging it could be. That ignorance worked in her favor. Determined to figure it out, she began creating half‑wearable pieces and teaching herself through trial, error, and persistence. Within six months, she was selling her own swimwear, and what started as curiosity quickly grew into a business.

As Christina spent more time in the fashion industry, she couldn’t ignore its major flaws, unethical labor practices and excessive waste. In response, she committed to keeping Bubs Bikinis entirely in‑house, producing pieces made from secondhand and reclaimed materials.

For years, whenever Christina told people she sewed, the response was almost always the same “I want to learn how to sew,” or “My grandmother sews.” She realized there was something deeper there a shared longing for connection to the craft. After years of sewing alone in her garage, she craved community.

That desire became Bubs Studio.

What once felt like a far‑off dream came to life when Christina stumbled upon the perfect place to begin: a tiny, 300‑square‑foot space near the Civic Center. That small studio was pure joy. Within its walls, Christina cultivated a sewing community through workshops, private lessons, and community events.

The ethos she developed while making bikinis carried directly into Bubs Studio. The space is filled with secondhand sewing supplies, a strong emphasis on reuse, and a commitment to reducing waste. At its core, the studio exists to build skills and with those skills, a deeper respect for the craft, the labor, and the artists behind the garments we wear.

In 2026, Christina moved Bubs Studio just down the block to Pierview. The new space carries the same charm and heart as the original Civic Center location, but with room to grow a more refined home for a community that continues to expand.