Shopping for swimwear is never a particularly edifying experience, but forget the reflection in the mirror, the biggest shock might just come from the price tag.
Phoebe Philo, the new benchmark for haute pricing, has lately launched a bikini which will set you back a mindboggling £1,300 for the set. The black studded high-waist bottoms come with the dampening disclaimer that “this item cannot be in contact with water or any form of liquid for an extended period of time”. There go your morning lengths. But she’s hardly alone, Net-a-porter is stocking a £1,500 Balenciaga one-piece, Eres — the Chanel-owned luxury swim line — runs up to around £800 for its more intricate styles, while Harrods has a bead-edged Valentino cut-out number for a Cayman Island address-requiring £2,500.
Ida Petersson, previously buying director at Browns, who earlier this year founded her own creative agency Good Eggs, calls these the “fantasy swim” category catering to the international luxury beach club scene where guests are there to be seen rather than take a dip. “It’s more like a party outfit,” says Petersson. “They wear it with heels, it’s a very glamorous, sexy look”, citing cult-shoe purveyor Amina Muaddi’s latest launch of plexiglass Brito heels (£595, aminamuaddi.com) designed to be worn in the water.
But she’s also seen swimwear as a category hike up its prices in the way that all luxury has since the pandemic, stealthily adding on 30 per cent increases. The humble cossie — especially when emblazoned with catnip luxury branding — sits alongside trainers as label cash-cows, a licence to print polyester. She cites both Versace and Burberry as having very healthy swim businesses, sharing that Versace caps how many pieces wholesale accounts can buy, such is the demand for its iconic Baroque printed styles. Similarly, the Burberry check never dies; initially sidelined in his new vision, Daniel Lee has conceded to bring it back in its sales-winning Classics collection.
The explosion of swim as a category does have a knock-on effect though — the market is flying, and packed full of exciting independent brands, and well-designed high-street options all competing for space in your carry-on this summer.
Net-a-porter has seen a 113 per cent increase in searches for swimsuits in the last six months, with bikinis lagging slightly behind with a search increase up 57 per cent. M&S is having a particularly good week, celebrating its return to holding the #1 market share position in womenswear for the first time in four years. It is attributing this to the success of its Holiday Shop, which has pushed sales up 15 per cent. Swim sales at the retailer are up 22 per cent, driven by its Tummy Control range (no judgment here) with 375,000 pieces sold. Personally, I hadn’t bought an M&S swimsuit for years, having never found the fit right. But I stand corrected — since trying out its V-neck suit from the Good Move range I’m a total convert. The fit is brilliant and it’s still looking pristine after weeks in the Aquatic Centre.
Should we talk about trends? Bottoms are very much on display in teeny low cut bikinis, cutouts are something to watch for and the one-shoulder style is running wild. On a personal level, I avoid all of these but do feel free to indulge.
For the more modest, Hunza G (very much still the cool girl label, frustrating I should imagine for them — its crinkle fabric is copied everywhere now) has a new Overall Coverage edit which are lower cut on the leg and higher on the back — comes in one size which works for up to an 18. I do like a frill and flourish; Net-a-porter’s market director Libby Page is calling it the The New New Romantics, with “intricate ruffles and 3D florals as designers inject a modern refinement to these pieces”. Paper London does it effortlessly as does La Double J which is heaven if you like a canny print placement.
As someone regularly in the medium lane I am something of a fussy connoisseur when it comes to swim wear. I do have separate suits for the local pool, but equally I expect a holiday cossie to keep up with my sea swims out around the bay. I’m also not averse to spending (within reason). I bought my first Eres — one of its classic styles — after I had my daughter, reasoning that an emergency C-section more than warrants its famed “peau douce” second skin fabric. I did get mine in the sale then (keep an eye on The Outnet), but I would probably close my eyes and buy another — it really does reassuringly caress.
I’m also a huge fan of fashion stylist Anna Laub’s Prism2, which she’s spent 10 years perfecting using a 3D knitted process (which helps to eliminate waste in production too). “The production technique is the same as shapewear, so you get the support — it pulls you in with a hug rather than constriction like normal shapewear, while still having the comfort of sportswear with dynamic stretch and sweat-wicking properties,” says Laub of the minimal with an edge styles which come in two sizes (size 1 fits a UK 6-16 and size 2 a UK 8-24) and are thoughtfully curated with an eye on fits for smaller and bigger-shaped bodies.
In terms of sizing, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by a throng of agenda-pushing independent labels. Tona The Label (by Tona Stell) is another stylist-led venture which runs its fully lined bikinis (£135, tonathelabel.com) up to a size 20; LA-based OOKIOH is new for me but I’m rather into it; it’s just launched a fun printed collaboration with Lisa Gah and runs up to a size 28. See also London-based We Are Wear which has made its focus on inclusivity a core brand tenet; it runs up to a 3XL offering everything from teeny tie-up bikinis to high-waist styles, and at very friendly prices. While Away That Day offers its classically glamorous styles up to a 3Xl as well.
A final word on sustainability: many brands tout this as a concern, however given they’re all made essentially from nylon-derivatives, beware the green washing. What I would look for is recycled materials and Econyl which is created from ocean waste, although as with all seeming-solutions it’s not perfect. It’s still plastic and will emit micro-particles when you venture into the sea or indeed wash it in the machine. Maintenance is the key to longevity with swimwear: always rinse, don’t dry in the sun (you should really swap suits every time you come out of the water) and avoid sloping too much suncream on it. Especially if you’ve forked out for Philo.
Your swimwear essentials:
L-R: Cosima maillot, £120, casaraki.com, Estée bikini top, £85, Ellie high-leg bottoms, £50, tonathelabel.com, Ruffle bandeau top, £95, Stephanie pants, £95, paperlondon.com, Check swimsuit sand, £420, uk.burberry.com, The bonded long sleeve swimsuit, £160, davyj.com, Eres Les Essentiels Icone swimsuit in Indigo, £575, netaporter.com
Scarlett swimsuit in Riviera, £370, ladouble.com, Animal print swimsuit, £89, whistles.com, Paper print Nicola tie-side swimsuit. £40 wearewear.com, Versace Greca border one piece swimsuit, £285, versace.com, Loewe + Paula’s Ibiza printed swimsuit, £450, netaporter.com, Moody lines Costa swimsuit, £140, oascompany.com, Symi string swimsuit, £52.50, boden.co.uk
