Beaches Clothing: Sneak Peak at Designing Swimwear

Beaches Clothing: Sneak Peak at Designing Swimwear: The swimwear industry might be small in comparison to other Apparel Departments, but it's big to us and we are extremeley passionate ab...

Beaches Clothing: Just can't get enough

Beaches Clothing: Just can't get enough: If there is one trend in womenswear (and swimwear), that I just can't get enough of, is the MONOTONE trend. So, yeah, it's been hap...

Just can't get enough

If there is one trend in womenswear (and swimwear), that I just can't get enough of, is the MONOTONE trend. So, yeah, it's been happening for the last 2/3 seasons and yes, it's showing up in the new 2014 collections but it's so beautiful and timeless. And isn't that what fashion needs - timeless pieces that you LOVE and keep and hold onto forever?

Kate Moss is breathtaking (as usual) in these 2013 shoots. And when monotone is around - it is usually accompanied by a 60's retro theme, inspired by one of the Hollywood legends or feminine icons.


Gingham is a good movement forward in 2014 for the swimwear looks and stripes are always a win - but the narrower stripe is looking newer.

This trend is also very helpful in today's economic challenges as it helps the longevity of your wardrobe. What does make it new, is the annual update in accent colours to accesorise the look.

So go on, grab your black and white pieces and let's help bring 60's back.

 Happy swimming!

Sneak Peak at Designing Swimwear

The swimwear industry might be small in comparison to other Apparel Departments, but it's big to us and we are extremeley passionate about swimwear and all the elements attached to it.

We live, eat, breathe and sleep swimwear and therefore find inspiration and ideas in the weirdest places. We would like to think of ourselves as innovators as well as trend conscious designers - emcompassing many  elements such as global economics, colour predictions, grass root trends, office doodles, vintage, fabric technologies, customer feedback, friend's inputs as well as market reports.

Designing swimwear is also,largely about the silhouette and creating the right fit for the right body. Today, there are many more silhouettes on the market that cater for various body shapes. Technology in the form of support, comfort and shape have helped improve on the swimwear design and thus given the wearer more choice in the form of fit.

I am often asked, 'why is swimwear, so expensive?' And my answer is simply, it's justified! The fabric used for swimwear is specialised and consists of a combination of fibres to help enable elasticity. Not to mention various applications to ensure colour fastness to light, washing, sea water and chlorinated water.

I think, quite often, the consumer wants so much from the product, but they don't realise what goes into that product in order to get the result that they want.

And thus, all the factors are taken into consideration when designing a swimsuit - trends, fabric, silhouette, colour, print, fit and quality.

Below is a sneak peak at the designer's screen shots today.

Happy swimming!

Italian style swimwear - Pucci

I don't know about you but there is just something about Italians - their love and fashion for food, wine, art, architecture is so inspiring. A paticular Italian, I admire, was Marquis Emilio Pucci, the founder of the Pucci Empire. He has since passed but was known as the 'Prince of Prints'.The fashion house, has since, had a few designers carrying on with the legacy and in my opinion, Pucci is only getting better.

If you are familiar with the fashion world, you will understand my love and appreciation for the brand.
Pucci prints are all about the playful use of colour, geometrics and femininity. (So complimentary to swimwear). With each collection, I fall deeper in love. 

Their 2014 Pre-Summer collection is full of everything I want summer to be - effortless, breezy, trendy, fresh, sexy and full of COLOUR.

Mono Tuesday - Swim Inspiration

In love of all things Monotone? The Resort/Pre-Summer 2014 Trends are looking very black and white. Loving the print collaborations/florals and geo stripes. Monotone prints/colourblocks collaborate so well with swimwear - often creating a timeless piece.

Below is a collaboration of MONO-tone swimwear from way back then to tomorrow.

Hope you enjoy!

Way back when swimwear...

How inspirational and perhaps, some not inspirational, are these pictures? After a random internet search, I stumbled across a goldmine - namely, Sports Illustrated Swimwear Archive.

As a swim designer, it's like a gem above all gems. We all often feel the need at some stage to go back in time, and this has provided a whirlwind of timelines - to see how swimwear has progressed and in some ways, regressed.

The models and their bodies have definitely evolved over the years and I have to say that I am pleased to see a variety of body shapes in the Sports Illustrated editions today. From the skinny, athletic figures to the voluptious bombshells - it really does seem to cater for the variety of women and their shapes out there.

From the retro, to the 'ethnic' influences, they all have made a comeback especially our good old faithful animal prints, which seem to revisit us every 2 or 3 years.

Colour, prints, silhouettes rotate and reinvent and continue to serve as an apparel item that compliments the women's figure and enables her to enjoy the beach/swim environment using the best swim fabric technologies.

As much as swimwear imitates the mass trends it often dictates it too. Swimwear is in itself has it's own little universe.

Farewell Friday

To a very dear employee, Anne. We know it's your last day (Officially) - we'd just like to say thank you for all your amazingness, your contribution to the company, your bubbliness and chats. You will be missed and we wish you a very happy future in your new venture.

This is not goodbye on a personal note - just on an official one. Thanks for everything Anne!!!!! 

And happy Champagne Friday!

Colour POP pastels

What is it about colour pop pastels this season? Last year, it was a great move in terms of colour and it was seen in every department in apparel - it felt like every retailer had their version of the 'pastel' jean. 

Colourblock has been a major trend, especially in swim. 

Today's design is a collaboration of so many trends, pastel, colourblock, low leg, waistline enhancing. The sweetheart shape remains my favourite as it's so flattering for so many shapes. Silicone grip elastic adds a supportive inner feature for the lady who might be considered about the garment, slipping down.

Looking at the picture kind of makes me want to grab my bicycle, put on cap and sunnies and head to the beachfront.

OOOh lala - so vintage!

Our designer, Roxy, found a little gem of a photo. It's her mother, grandmother and great grandmother on the beach in Brighton - way back then. Love the low leg silhouettes. So happy, they have made a comback.The retro pieces could easily be passed as designerwear today.  Happy moments in the sun is what we need in the office today.  Our bodies might be in the office but our heads are on the beach.

Throw back DESIGN - Thursday

Okay, so how fun are divine are these boards. These were created for Spring/Summer 2010. But looking at them, you can spot the trends that have stayed and evolved and those that have died. Neutrals still strong, mxing with either pastels or accents like chartreuse, cobalt etc, to give a fresh contrast.

Cobalt blue continues to trend forward and this is confirmed in the new Pre-Summer 2014 ranges.

Blues, inks and midnight hues continue to strengthen and provide special effects in washes, tye dyes and textures. Mesh and sheer fabrics seem to be the update to traditional silhouettes, breaking into a more 'revealing' era that combines flattering and support.

The 'day_light' board was one of my favourite influences for swim. Fun, mix and match concepts aligning with  a surf/youth feel is still strong and added elements such as texture and trims are taking through to the 2014 season.

Can't wait for the rest of the Pre-Summer 2014 collections to have a real feel of the SWIM season ahead.

'What we found on the design rail' Wednesday

It's just another manic week, preparing for upcoming ranges and mid-season production. It's also high heel Wednesday and it's so much fun playing 'dress up' with the girls in the office, even though most of us have opted for pretty open heels in mid winter in Cape Town. The price we pay for fashion.

Today, amidst our range planning, we pulled a few garments from our design rail from past and present and thought that we would give you  a sneek peak. Compliments of the in house 'body' - who so kindly offers us her frame to showcase our products. We kindly recipicate with a very warm heater and a sweet treat.

Today, you can view 'spiderweb' inspired swimwear, using macrame detailing.

A little piece of vintage

In light of throwback Thursday, today's post is in honour of a very special lady, my daughter's great grandmother, Kitty Zondagh (and also the mother of the founder of this company, Beaches Clothing).

There is something about the vintage, low leg silhouettes that are so feminine and flattering.They hug your body in all the right places, accentuating your natural assets and hiding the unflattering ones. Sometimes less is more and sometimes more is more mysterious.

Small cuts, more skin, less fabric is the norm today and yes, they are great, fun pieces of swimwear that help with flattering your body and creating less awkward tan lines but I still think vintage pieces rock and there definetely seems to be a small trend following suit.

Happy Thursday!

The start

The first apparel item, that I designed, was a red, strapless, bandeau one piece. It was drawn on a piece of paper the size of me. Me, then was way back in the mid 80's - I think i was 7 at the time. I was at home and my cousin, Cindy, staying with us while she studied fashion design at the Cape Town Technikon.(Cindy is now a top lingerie designer).

Today, I design swimwear for a design and manufacturing company in Cape Town and I couldn't have asked for a better day job.

I hope you enjoy the posts that follow this one.