One of my favorite things about launching Sienna Swim last year has been researching all of the different, exciting, and innovative things happening in the swim industry. As a passionate bikini connoisseur my entire life, I love going to Swim Weeks all over the country to talk to other designers and see what trends are happening across all of our lines in different ways. That’s one of the beautiful parts of fashion – everyone’s interpretation of trending colors, styles and textures is different – whether it’s high-fashion or bikinis.
Since Sienna Swim’s fourth collection comes out next week (April 11), I thought I would share all of the trends I’m loving and that have inspired me as we designed collection four – and in fact our next three collections, which will all be released over the next few months! In the meantime, here are some exciting things happening in the swim industry (and potentially a few hints about what you can expect next week ;))
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PRINTS
While bathing suits have always come in prints – floral, stripes, plaids – I’ve learned a lot this year about prints on swimsuits. I remember vividly in middle school when one of my friends and I showed up to the beach in different bikinis, made by different companies, with the same green and white plaid print. While back then we didn’t really have an explanation, what I’ve learned since is that a lot of brands purchase their prints from Shutterstock or use manufacturers who mass produce suits using the same fabric in different styles. This is why you’ll often see different brands selling the same color ways or prints. I’m so lucky to have a best friend (and soon to be sister-in-law), Nikki Cook, an incredibly talented artist who hand-draws all of our prints and designs that we print onto recycled fabric to create literal works of art on bikinis. When I started looking at incorporating prints into our designs last year, I wanted something vintage-inspired that felt timeless but still fun and fresh. And I wasn’t having any luck finding that with already-produced patterns and fabric. Luckily for me and my mom (we founded Sienna Swim together!) my brother proposed to the best artist/graphic designer ever, and it means so much to be able to keep our business in the family. Nikki’s artwork will be featured on many of our suits this year, and I love that that’s one of the things that makes Sienna Swim different.
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SUSTAINABILITY
This is not new, but sustainability in swimwear is a very hot topic right now. Many smaller, more expensive brands have successfully created sustainable swim wear, but for brands who cater to a larger audience and try to keep the price point at a manageable place, this can be difficult. I think 2023 is going to be the year that larger brands are going to have to adapt to do their part in the sustainability movement while still staying true to their consumers. As an emerging brand, we are actively working to reduce our environmental impact while still keeping our price point affordable and our size range inclusive – sometimes in the fashion industry, you can’t do all three. We currently manufacture our suits in a facility committed to taking care of its people and the environment. We also use recycled fabric and processes that reduce pollution. But this year we will be doing more! By summer, we will be using only certified recycled fabrics that are upcycled from salvaged fishing nets and plastic ocean waste, eco-certified dyes, and packaging that is produced using cassava starch. As someone who splits their time between California and Hawaii, my love for the ocean has seamlessly made its way to our designs, and now using fabric upcycled from ocean waste is something I’m so excited about. While there are some brands out there that claim to be eco-friendly and sustainable, we are reinvesting our profits to become a brand that truly earns that distinction.
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LOUNGEWEAR & LIFESTYLE
I think a big push for a lot of brands this year is to go beyond swimwear itself and create styles that look incredible on and off the beach. After Frankie’s Bikinis started their clothing lines, so many brands followed suit (no pun intended). Tons of brands now have their own loungewear and lifestyle lines that pair perfectly with their swimwear, and this has been something I have had SO much fun with. Since January, we’ve launched two graphic tees and one sweatshirt which people LOVE. I can’t blame them, I’m obsessed with them, too. Moving forward, we plan to drop new pieces every month that we aren’t launching a new collection, because….why not? Every graphic is designed by Nikki and me (or hand drawn by Nikki), and we try to bring the same vintage flare with a modern feel to every item. Beyond that, I’ve had a great time creating all of our “after swim” styles that are designed to throw on over your suit for an effortlessly chic, just rolled off the beach look. My favorites right now are the Everyday sweater, which I almost always have in my bag, and the white Audrey.
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ALTERNATIVE FABRICS & UNIQUE DETAILS
We’ve all grown pretty used to seeing bikinis made with nylon, polyester, lycra, or even neoprene. These fabrics stay put when wet and dry fairly quickly, but I think a huge trend for 2023 is the shift from traditional fabrics to alternatives that add more stylistic texture that’s still functional. Our last drop featured the Solana collection, a bikini top and bottom, dress and pants made with a custom lace fabric that actually took us six months to perfect because there was nothing like it at the time. We had four rounds of revisions before we found the perfect combination of fabrics that both looked good and worked in the water. People LOVED it and so we’ve decided to play around with some other fun textures and details – and not just fabric! – that you’ll see soon. 😉
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MORE COVERAGE
Swimwear brands have slowly but surely started creating styles for larger busts or hips that are SO flattering! We’ve talked with a lot of our sample models about what they looked for in swimsuits, and consistently the models who had larger busts or hips said they wanted fuller coverage suits, because they tended to fit them a bit cheekier or tighter anyway, giving them a fit that felt both flattering and supportive. We launched our Dana Top, Capri Bottoms, and Coco Bottoms as part of collections last year, and our customers have let us know that they love the looks and the comfort. We’ve had several customers actually purchase the Dana top in every color way and leave reviews saying it’s the “perfect top” for larger breasts, which we’re proud of! We have a few new designs in store for people looking for sleek, sexy, more coverage styles they won’t want to take off…guess you’ll have to wait and see!
I have had the best time designing our next few collections and can’t wait to share them with you all. I’m also so excited to see what all the other designers do this year at all the different swim weeks, and I can’t wait to take you along for the ride! As always, if you have any feedback on suits, colors, or patterns you hope to see, email me at sienna@siennaswim.com so my team and I can make something you love!<3
PS: If you’re a current Sienna Swim customer, please watch for an email on Monday that will give you exclusive access to shop our newest collection 12 hours before it goes on sale to the public (April 11 at 8am PT)! Collection 4 is limited stock.
