Ripple Effect : Designers Find Inspiration for Their Swimwear in the Natural Hues of Flora and Foam, Sand and Surf
When it comes to swimwear, the tide has turned from neon and glitz to natural looks that blend in with the sand and sea.
For women, last year’s glittering Vegas-style swimsuits with their metallic trims, rhinestones, faux pearls and other sparkles have taken a dive. The new suits are more simple, with rougher textures and little or no ornamentation. Some styles even look as if they had been hand-woven out of straw (they’re actually made from high-performance fibers that only look primitive).
Men’s swim trunks have lost their Day-Glo hues and shiny fabrics. Their suits are getting back to basics, with classic cuts and materials made from brushed nylons and nylon blends that look like soft cotton.
Swimwear for both sexes has followed fashion’s obsession with natural hues. Burgundy, hunter green, beige and brown are colors not normally seen in swimwear, where brights tend to dominate, but this year suits are awash in earth tones.
To eyes accustomed to electric colors and glitter, the suits are plain but never dull. They get their interest from texture. Women can find everything from bikinis to maillots in materials that have been puckered, embroidered, woven and crocheted.
Natalie Walker, who designs swimsuits for Too Hot Brazil, Sessa, Citrus and Sassafras, was inspired by the new wave of woven swimsuit materials for several of her collections.
“Natural as a color and theme is everywhere,” Walker says. “People like it because it’s . . . very different from what’s in their closet.”
Walker’s “Natural Fiber Suits” for Too Hot Brazil are primitive-looking, and the theme carries through to a coordinating grass skirt. The suits are made of a stretchy fabric that blends natural fibers (wool and caucio) with modern synthetics (spandex, nylon, polyester).
“The (suits) look like they could have been handwoven in Bali,” Walker says.
The maillot, string bikini and two-piece with underwire top and a high-waist pant, come in dark and light tan mixed with white or black (about $90 at Everything but Water in Brea Mall and Crystal Court, South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa).
Swimwear designers haven’t shown this much crochet since the ‘70s, but these textured suits are different. The old suits were crocheted of cotton yarns; the ‘90s styles call for blends of nylon and Lycra that hold their shape and color.
“Because of the addition of Lycra, we can make things fit 300% better,” Walker says.
Popcorn weaves, Jacquard patterns, floral embroidery, mesh and crochet are all looks that have carried over from clothing to swimwear, according to Michelle Jaureguy, manager of Everything but Water in Brea.
“Crocheted suits are blowing out of here,” she says.
Among the hot sellers: Sessa’s brown mesh one-piece ($65), Take Cover’s hunter green or burgundy one- or two-piece with puckered floral embroidery (about $70) and Tango Rose’s beige crocheted two-piece ($74).
Flesh-colored lining keeps the suits from exposing too much, Jaureguy says.
“They look see-through, but they’re not,” she says.
Some suits look as if they’re made of suede and leather. Tonga introduced two styles, a one-piece and bikini, made of cocoa-colored pseudo-suede and adorned with Indian-style embroidery (about $75 each at Everything but Water).
Like the women’s crocheted styles, men’s swimwear also recalls the ‘60s and ‘70s, according to Mario Pasillas, assistant manager of Newport Surf & Sport in Newport Beach.
Trunks have a vintage look thanks to classic drawstring styling, earthy colors reminiscent of old Hang Ten shirts and ‘60s-style side stripes and pockets.
Gotcha designed a ‘60s-inspired suit in red with a bone-colored stripe down the side ($35), and Billabong created a trunk in army green with blue side stripes made of a nylon blend that’s brushed to look like cotton ($39), both at Newport Surf & Sport.
“Earth tones are smoking,” Pasillas says.
Women’s suits have seen the same change in hues.
“In the ‘80s we were into neon and really bright florals. Everybody’s toned down,” says Julie Zozaya, buyer for Cinty’s Swimwear in San Clemente and owner of Julie’s Beachwear in Del Mar. “They’re into the fall colors.”
The No. 1 seller at Cinty’s: a crocheted halter maillot by Sessa in natural, sand, black or red ($58).
“What’s cool is the crocheted, puckered fabrics, the tiny florals and all the macrame stuff,” Zozaya says.
Some suits have taken the plunge all the way from glitz to grunge. Many swimsuit companies carry suits made of material that looks like plaid flannel but is made for withstanding water. One grunge bikini by De la Mer comes in a red or blue plaid ($50 at Barely There Swimwear in Newport Beach).
“They’re really soft,” says Nancy Lee, owner of Barely There Swimwear. “They feel like PJs.”
