Top swimwear summer trends right now? Sabharwal launched Giejo in 2012 to fill a void for cool, mix-and-match swimsuits that weren’t too expensive or too skimpy—“swimsuits I could wear in front of my boyfriend’s parents,” as she puts it—but they’re also sustainably produced. She uses only vintage and reclaimed swim fabrics that she personally hand-sources from warehouses in the Tri-State area, which also happen to be much softer than today’s brand-new swim materials. Instead of working on a collection six months in advance, she hits the warehouse a month or two before market begins and digs for inspiration—literally. “Each collection just depends on what fabrics I find,” she tells Vogue.com. “I never know what I’m going to get!”
Shopping for swimwear can often be a frustrating and uninspiring task. Due to our lack of sunshine and summer in general, there’s not much of a market for beautiful bathing suits on this side of the water. As such, more and more people are looking to US brands for their holiday attire, where the choice and designs are much more wide ranging – and beautiful. Here are seven of the best US swimwear brands you need to know about this summer. Cute but not cutesy, Reformation’s dose of gingham, stripes and candy hues are right on trend whilst the high waists, low backs and tie fronts are more reminiscent of the coquettish Fifties, helping you to cut a Marilyn- esque figure on the beach. Hailing from downtown LA, this eight- year- old brand is focused on producing swimwear that’s ethically sourced and produced. See even more details on swimsuits.
If you’re anything like us, you’ve got a drawer filled with favorite swimwear from seasons past, ranging anywhere from tie-dyed tops to color blocked bottoms. Well, get this: Those patterned pieces can play a major part in helping you stand out from the crowd this season…in a whole new way. Instead of wearing one straight-from-the-store bikini, we’re all about mixing and matching different tops and bottoms to create a unique-to-you look. Not super confident in your print-pairing? Create a cool connection by choosing a common color way or motif. For example, the micro-print on a Basta Surf top is the perfect pint-size match for bold sea foam green stripes from Target. Tropical florals in varying colors from Pret-a-Surf and Rosa Swim show how to double up on one design, as do spotty separates from Guess and BCA. Of course, we wouldn’t expect you to take our word for it—click through to see our favorite 10 bikini pairings for yourself!
What does the collection represent to you? Everything that is missing in the swim market. I tried to address what my friends and I were looking for, because, honestly, the giejo girl is me and all of my girlfriends, too. I thought of spring break and how I would rather die than be caught on the beach in the same suit as another girl. I was also very price-conscious (I’m so sick of having to hit the sales to get designer attire). Girls today don’t wear head-to-toe designer and usually wear a mix of high and low, so why don’t we have that option with our swim? Where do you see your line going? What’s next? I love one-pieces. There’s something about them that looks so chic. I’m hoping to do something really creative and different with a one-piece as well as a few more transitional cover-ups. I’m also going to experiment with creating my own prints and layering fabrics.