Sailer’s Adventurer & Founder: Erika Fernandes-Rusan — Stormy Skies, Big Dreams & The Spirit Behind The Sail
By Erika Fernandes-Rusan
✨ Meet Erika
Docked In: Plymouth, Massachusetts
Vibe In Three Words: Wild • Passionate • Creative
Adventure Means: “Adventure to me is choosing to fully live. Being authentic, having big dreams, being afraid, doing it scared, looking back and smiling… no regrets.”
“Good times, good music and good vibes with my tribe. That keeps my soul alive.”
Some people spend their whole lives searching for freedom. Others quietly build it piece by piece.
For Sailer’s Co. founder and photographer Erika Fernandes-Rusan, adventure has never just meant traveling somewhere far away. It lives in everyday moments. In creating. In chasing ideas that feel bigger than fear. In building a life that feels true and full.
Town Neck Beach, Cape Cod, MA by Tree House Brewing Company. Portrait by Christofer Thrasher, featured in Sailer’s Adventurer Stories
“Life is the party you choose to throw yourself, everyday! No take backs! Just live!”
Originally from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais in Brazil, Erika moved to America at twelve years old and grew up on Cape Cod, MA. By moving continents young, she learned the art of independence and the importance of being multicultural and authentically true to her nature. As soon as she could, she traveled far and filled her youth with all kinds of adventures, before eventually settling in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Today, home is filled with music, movement, art, animals, gardens, storms, laughter, and beautifully chaotic energy.
“My home is where my heart is... with my beautiful family, my two wild kids, my best friend and hubs, our dog, cats, our fishies, all the plants and our newest additions… our chickens.”
Take the Leap, Sunset at Mayflower Beach, Cape Cod, MA. Photographed by Erika Fernandes-Rusan
“I’m an extreme visual thinker and can stay hours living inside my dreams.”
What makes Erika her isn’t just photography or storytelling. It’s the way she turns ordinary life into something cinematic.
“It’s much easier to explain my vision through my art… whether it’s a photo, a poem, a garden, rearranging furniture, throwing a backyard party, or bringing people together.”
The Docks Sunset, Charles River Esplanade. Portrait photography by Iohana Lobo, featured in Sailer’s Adventurer Stories
“I have many moments because Wild & Free is something I chase…”
She feels lucky to have visited remote places she never imagined possible, while working as a photographer aboard Holland America cruise ships. But one moment continues to live rent-free in her memory, during a 28-day Hawaii & Tahiti Cruise.
A skydive over Honolulu!
Blue Paradise. Coast of Bora Bora, French Polynesia. Photographed by Erika Fernandes-Rusan
“I remember looking down from the little plane window as the pilot shouted the altitude and thinking… there’s no looking back, nowhere to run, just jump.”
Then came sixty unforgettable seconds.
The Edge of Earth. 60 minutes Free-fall over Honolulu, Hawaii by Pacific Skydiving
“It felt like flying and standing still at the same time.”
Below her, nothing but an endless blue coastline. And while the wind roared around her, she locked eyes with the Hawaiian mountains and island chains.
“My smile was so real… I saw the edge of the earth among the most beautiful blue skies I had ever seen.”
And then something unexpected happened after the parachute opened.
“We glided over Honolulu and I saw a whale in the vast ocean for the first time… from above.”
Submerged. Humpback Tail, Juneau Alaska. Photographed by Erika Fernandes-Rusan
After months of missing whale sightings while photographing aboard the ship, that single moment stayed with her.
“The wind was slow and the sun was so warm! It was like the best movie I have ever seen in real life. I never wanted it to end.”
Ring of Fire, Summer in Alaska. Photographed by Erika Fernandes-Rusan
Despite growing up surrounded by coastlines and sea air, the ocean carried a lowkey fear.
“I had a score to settle with the ocean. The mysteries, the vastness, the power… it’s scary to me.”
Rise Again. Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Photographed by Erika Fernandes-Rusan
But during a trip to Mexico celebrating ten years of marriage, Erika decided to face the ocean head-on and go deep-sea diving with her husband Mihai.
And somewhere beneath the surface, fear transformed into peace.
“It was the most beautiful and peaceful experience I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing.”
Crystalized. Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Photographed by Erika Fernandes-Rusan
“The silence underneath felt like the sky had flipped over.”
Breath slowed. Time stretched. Everything was quiet.
“It was like this soundless medicine I never knew I needed. A pure nature meditation, all led by your breath.”
And the best part through it all:
“I’d see something beautiful, turn back, and he was right there.”
Daring can't define her. But it’s definitely her vibe!
Dawn Breaks at Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Photographed by Erika Fernandes-Rusan
⚡️ Lighting Round with Erika
Ocean waves or mountain peaks?
⛰️ All the Peaks!
Sunrise adventure or moonlit escape?
🌙 Moonlit sunrises ❤️🔥
Golden hour or stormy skies?
⛈️ Stormy skies
Skydiving or deep-sea diving?
🤿 Deep-Sea Diving 👀😍
Dream travel partner?
❤️🔥 My husband and bestie. Always.
Indoor adventures or outdoor thrills?
🌊 Outdoor thrills!!!
Soundtrack on your Adventure?
Favorite Place?
Spirit animal?
🐆 Panther
✨ Sailer’s Vision
Surfs Up at Ocean Beach, San Diego, California. Photographed by Erika Fernandes-Rusan
“I think everyone has an adventurer inside them.”
For Erika, the vision behind Sailer’s Co. was never about perfection or curated highlight reels.
It’s about the connection.
“Being adventurous is not just hiking the tallest mountains, or skydiving on beautiful places… It's in the day to day,...it’s standing on the edge. It’s knowing the storm is near. It’s doing it scared.”
Symmetry. Blacks Beach, La Jolla, San Diego, California. Photographed by Erika Fernandes-Rusan
Long before Sailer’s Co. existed, that spirit was already showing up in many ways.
“I was never really the type to dress fancy or be impressed by shiny things. Being comfortable in my own skin always mattered!”
Instead, she created her own world.
“Growing up I loved styling and sewing Barbie clothes, cutting and painting their hair for fashion shows. In middle school, I’d bleach my jeans to make them my own. In high school I was in fashion shows and Miss Brasil pageants, until I discovered photography through a mail-in course and then I was hooked!”
Fashion, for Erika, was never about fitting in. It was about expressing a feeling.
“I always chose clothes that expressed how I felt versus what I should’ve been wearing. It's like a temporary tattoo, you get to be spontaneous, reset, and do it all over again the next day.”
That same philosophy eventually became part of the heartbeat behind Sailer’s Co.
“The first time I truly bet on myself was with Sailer’s Co.”
After years working in healthcare and quietly brewing creative dreams inside herself, starting the brand became the biggest leap of all.
”I had to stand up to myself, at a time when it was really hard to see clearly! Ultimately, I decided to believe in myself, to hold my young self tight, whisper it’s okay to fall, and to take the advice I’ve always given other people.”
Shop The Look: No Limits Take The Leap Oversized T-Shirt
“Sailer’s Co. is where I can be myself. It’s a Declaration of Independence.”
What began as a side project slowly evolved into something much bigger and more meaningful. A creative world built around storytelling, movement, freedom, and intentional living.
Through a print-on-demand model, Erika found a way to create thoughtfully, without the unnecessary waste often tied to fast fashion and overproduction.
“Doing things sustainably matters to me. I’m very mindful of my footprint on this planet.”
And now, as the one steering the ship, Erika approaches the brand with care. Every design, story, photo, collection, and decision flows through her hands.
“Like sailing, things can get messy fast when you move carelessly.”
After years of burnout and chasing creative freedom, she no longer measures success through a never-ending to-do list.
“I’m not in a rush! I’m finding success in my peace. Not the other way around.”
More than apparel, the brand became a place to create freely, tell stories honestly, connect to those who share the vision and inspire others to embrace their own journey.
And even now, that relationship with clothing remains deeply personal.
“When I’m not feeling like myself and I’m searching through my closet, an inspiring Sailer’s hat and an art filled T-shirt or hoodie quickly changes that.”
Shop The Look: Inspired Snapback Hat
“I feel confident. Like I don’t need to say much… I’m already wearing it.”
For Erika, style was never about trends. It was about identity. Energy. Freedom.
A wearable reminder of who you are underneath the noise.
“It’s about being the vessel! ⛵️ Piercing through open water, not knowing what lies ahead… and trusting the compass.”
Supernova. Sunset at Chapin's Beach, Cape Cod, MA. Photographed by Erika Fernandes-Rusan
Through Sailer’s Adventurer Stories, Erika hopes to connect people through shared vulnerability, courage, and creativity.
She believes life is meant to be shared, and many of her greatest inspirations in music, art, and creativity came from the people she crossed paths with along the way. Each person became part of her story and left behind something meaningful to carry forward.
She intentionally keeps close the people who inspire her to grow, create, and see the world differently every day. Erika loves good vibes and the feeling of being surrounded by her tribe.
“Life is so much lighter when you have a tribe to share it with.”
Tribe Time. Venice Beach, Los Angeles, CA. Photographed by Erika Fernandes-Rusan
While some dreams of distant lands. Erika’s next adventure map looks a little different.
Music-filled. Dusty roads. Open skies.
“I’d love to rent an RV and travel across country with the family. We’d take the whole month, stop at iconic places along the way, visit the Carolinas, Texas, the Midwest… there’s so much to see.”
The destination?… Coachella.
For someone who built a life around chasing feeling instead of perfection, the dream makes perfect sense.
Windows down, wind in the hair, somewhere underneath a giant western sky. Movement. Music. Freedom.
“Can a girl dream?”
Dark Sunset. Blacks Beach, La Jolla San Diego, California. Photographed by Erika Fernandes-Rusan
Some adventures happen across oceans. Others happen quietly. The Shadow Work. Inside ourselves.
In the moments where we choose to believe in our dreams before anyone else does.
And maybe that’s what being a Sailer really means.
“It’s standing on the edge, it’s seeing the blue sky far and wide, it’s knowing the storm is near, it’s getting up after a fall, it’s doing it scared!”
Taking the leap anyway.
Shop Erika’s Favorite Sailer’s Gear
📸 Follow Erika’s Journey on IG: @cherry_train
🌊 Continue the Adventure
Meet More Adventurers Living Wild & Free:
💫 Join the Journey
Do you have an adventure story to share? Fill out the Sailer’s Adventurer Mini-Interview or capture it through a Photo Session with Erika, and become part of the crew.
We celebrate those who dare, dream, and live wide awake.
⛵ Wear the Adventure
The spirit behind Sailer’s Co. lives in stories like Erika’s.
Explore the Collections inspired by those who choose to live boldly.
