Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Not Your Average Bikini: How Swimwear Brands are Adapting in 2021

Not Your Average Bikini: How Swimwear Brands are Adapting in 2021

From inclusive campaigns to sexy silhouettes, heres how swimwear brands are giving us what we want this summer.

Temperatures are heating up, and with restrictions and travel bans beginning to lift, we're seeing a lot of poolside lounging on the horizon. Of course, a trip to the beach requires a new swimsuit or two, and these days we have more options than ever.

Many of the trends running through fashion as a whole, like sustainability, inclusion, and direct-to-consumer models, extends to swimwear as well. Artist and designer Juliet Johnstone, who recently launched a collection of butterfly-printed bikinis, grew up buying swimwear from stores like Victoria’s Secret. “It felt like the only place you could go,” Johnstone tells L’OFFICIEL. “I remember getting the catalog, going through it with a Sharpie, and circling photos of Adriana Lima wearing a teeny-tiny bikini. Then I would go to try it on, but it wouldn’t look right. It was never a fun experience.”



Johnstone later took matters into her own hands. After studying classic painting and graduating from Parson’s with a degree in fine arts, she began painting her designs onto vintage or upcycled pants, eventually catching the eye of Bella Hadid. The extension into swimwear came naturally, and the artist-turned-designer hopes to inspire confidence via her designs. “People want to feel special, and after the year we’ve had people are straying away from bigger companies and being more aware of what they’re buying,” she says.

Sarah Landman, the CEO of swimwear label Solid & Striped, agrees. “I believe it is less about big versus small, and more about the customer wanting fresh evolved design,” she tells L’OFFICIEL. Though Solid & Striped began with swimsuits, the preppy-chic brand has expanded to include ready-to-wear, activewear, and accessories. Rather than something people buy out of necessity, swimwear brands are looking to become an extension of a lifestyle. This makes it an ideal category for designers to venture into, as in Johnstone’s case.



New York-based designer LaQuan Smith is also launching his own collection of swimwear at the end of May, which will be available exclusively on FWRD. “Women naturally gravitate to LaQuan Smith bodysuits and catsuits, so it felt organic to venture off into swimwear,” Smith tells L’OFFICIEL.

Smith’s designs are sexy, strong, and powerful, and that translates into his swimsuits. The collection of bikinis and one-pieces feature cutouts, laces, and sheer panels, and certainly require confidence from the wearer. “I want women to feel like sex on the beach while wearing LaQuan Smith swimwear,” he says. “Confident, beautiful, and summer ready!”

It feels impossible to talk about swimwear without also broaching the topic of confidence and inclusion. The phrase “beach body” has been used to sell workouts and diet programs for decades, though thanks to conversations surrounding inclusivity and body diversity, this is beginning to change, and swimwear designers are taking note. “I had so many friends come by my studio to try on the different styles because I wanted people of all different sizes to fit into the bikini,” says Johnstone. “Trying to figure out a shape that could be worn across multiple sizes and be supportive was important.”



For Johnstone, swimwear should be about joy. Her early 2000s-influenced designs are inspired by not taking fashion too seriously. “A lot of fashion from the early 2000s was very playful, whether that’s a see-through shirt, no bra, or a thong sticking out of super low rise jeans. People are wanting that back into their lives and their clothes.”

As for Smith, Summer 2021 brings a departure from minimalist swimsuits. “It's all about cut-outs, asymmetrical lines, prints, and most importantly fabrications that have perfect elasticity,” he says. “And women loving and celebrating their bodies!”

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
×