A wave of new European labels is making the search for the perfect, simple swimsuit that much easier.

Épi Swim

Earlier this year, it was launched by Parisian friends Julie Lansom and Mathilde Hamart. The French brand ÉpiSwim made a monochrome swimsuit in Brittany, a family factory that works with a number of European luxury brands. Each of the small series is limited to 50 pieces. “We like people who don’t find the same swimsuit on the beach,” Lansom said. Designers cut thin one-piece and high-waist bikinis in a simple style and use “timeless” colors – such as olive green, navy and burgundy. Regarding the trend, the designer focuses on the body. “Our clothing is not as small as many swimwear brands. We are working hard to make inclusive swimwear,” Lansom said. “Mathilde and I are different shapes, we will never stop until everything fits us.” Their appearance books are equally diverse, with non-models of various body types – no images are modified. “We just shaped the girls we think are beautiful in very different ways,” Lansom said.

Lido

Discover the beaches along the coast of Lido, Venice, Italy – Ernest Hemingway and Orson Wells’ 8-mile long sandbank in the past – inspired designer Daria Stankiewicz to create his own swimsuit when moving from Rome to Venice in 2016 The brand Lido, a self-taught designer, wants to support Italian craftsmanship with her low-key work made by environmentally friendly Italian Lycra. She also hopes to provide a loud color and pattern that is often sold in place of the swimwear label. “I chose my holiday outfit in the same way that I choose everyday clothes – simple and quality clothing,” she explains. As Stankiewicz said, Lido’s cleaning items are also the same, it does not have any “unnecessary details, to achieve the purity of the clothing.” She currently publishes her collection every year and says her customers share her interest in slow fashion methods. “Excellent designs last longer than seasonal fashion, and people choose products that last longer,” she said. Next year, she will launch Lido’s first vacation apparel collection.

Suro

Suro’s minimalist multi-purpose swimsuit reflects Mallorca’s beach lifestyle, said Margarita Payeras, founder of the brand, in Parma, the capital of the Spanish Balearic Islands. Her open-toe bikini and race-fitting swimsuit combine the power of sportswear, making the suit more practical than the beach. Payeras explained: “You always have the possibility to swim in the sea or swim in the city.” “Details like fixed straps and wireless and padless tops help us create multiple uses. Today women are looking to give them freedom. Active swimwear. “Payeras worked for Cristelmare, one of Mallorca’s largest swimwear companies, and then founded Suro in 2016 to create an environmentally friendly brand. Most of the Lycra used in the Suro range is made from recycled Italian nylon, each lined with Spanish Lycra and contains no toxic substances. “The more we use recycled materials, the more we help clean and protect the ocean,” Payeras said.

Three Graces

London-based designer Catherine Johnson never planned to launch a swimwear collection. But since she founded Three Graces as a pajamas brand in 2015, her brand – named after the charm, beauty and creativity of the ancient Greek goddess – has developed in an unpredictable way: after customers start wearing lines of refreshing cotton pajamas to the beach Johnson expanded the holiday apparel into 2017. The swimming series is the natural next step. “We have received a lot of requests from buyers and customers who can offer items that can be paired with beach and casual wear,” explains Johnson. Tips Six-piece classic tailored swimsuits and wireless bikinis are designed to lie flat under the scoop of “exquisite beachwear for cotton, linen or silk,” she said. Launched last summer, the collection is made from Italian fabrics, woven from Lycra yarns, with a two-way stretch design and invisible knit technology for added comfort. To ensure fit, Johnson collaborates with underwear experts and shapes each streamlined work into a variety of sizes and sizes at least five times. “Swimwear is more precise than pajamas,” she said.

Now Then

Before creating her swimwear brand, then in 2016, Spanish designer Andrea Salinas became a buyer of a brand that partnered with the Asian Fast Fashion Factory. To her shock, “the fanatic rhythm of clothing”, she decided to create her own brand and do things in different ways. Now fully sustainable, hand-made simple one-piece and sporty surf protection in Spain. The swimsuit is made from reclaimed fishing nets and seamlessly stitched to make it feel like a second layer of skin. “Diving is my greatest passion, and working in the second largest polluting industry on the planet has made me more sensitive to the impact of each garment,” said Salinas, referring to the poor environmental record of the fashion industry. In order to reduce the footprint of her brand, she collaborated with the Italian marine waste collection program to create eco-neoprene fabrics in which natural limestone replaces petroleum as the main fiber. Each swimsuit will reuse up to 300 grams of recycled marine litter, which can be reused indefinitely. “Our work is designed to be worn forever,” Salinas said.