Bottle-to-suit brand Swiminista combines fit, function and footprint

Let’s face it, going to the beach is not always a cakewalk for women. Apart from getting ready and sand being everywhere, there is the hassle of beachwear. Yup, one- and two-piece bathing suits still leave a lot to be desired, even centuries after the first “bathing costume” was worn in public and 75 years after the invention of the bikini. Let’s just say not much support has been coming forward from the fashion industry - quite literally.

Donning a one- or two-piece swimsuit even in this day and age leaves active beach goers chasing children, dogs or playing frisbee or volleyball sooner or later pondering the question if her two best friends are going to be in danger of popping out at every hop, skip and jump. And even if the support is great, then more often than not, the style leaves much to be desired or is not adjustable. Clearly, the demand on sexy and functional beach- and swimwear is higher than what most current brands and lines can offer.

Enter Swiminista - as the name suggests, a brand of swimwear for fashionistas. But that is not all, on top of being sexy and stylish, the brand prides itself on providing “supported swimwear designed to move and engineered to complement the body”. Well and good one may say, but what about the planet? With its usually 100 percent manmade fibres, the swimwear industry is not the most environmentally friendly, to put it mildly.

Swiminista has thought about that too and in an effort to soften the footprint on the planet, uses luxury recycled fabrics from post-consumer plastic bottles for its entire collection. Founder Andréa Bernholtz, who is also the co-founder and former president of denim label Rock & Republic, was inspired to create Swiminista in 2019 in an effort to give women the confidence to celebrate their own bodies and to reduce the impact swimwear has on the planet. FashionUnited wanted to know more and asked Andréa Bernholtz a few questions about feedback, production and some of the challenges.

Swiminista sounds like a dream come true - sexy swimwear that also does it job - supporting where it needs to. And at the same time, for active, modern women, it sounds like a no-brainer. Yet, you had to create your own swimwear label to find the kind of high-quality, functional brand that you were looking for. Why do you think no one came up with a label like that before?

I think a few other brands have touched on what we do at Swiminista but it is not easy and it is expensive to develop and fit, in the detail that we do.

What were some of the challenges?

We have experienced many challenges and still do, I hear too many times that something cannot be done, but then we do it!  

What do women who buy and use Swiminista swimwear appreciate most about the pieces? What is some of the most common feedback you get?

The most common feedback we have received so far is how good women feel in our suits! How supportive they are as well as how smart our suits are.

Could you explain what kind of eco-friendly/recycled materials are used and where they come from?

Our materials come from Italy and are made up of plastics that are broken down, then woven into fabric. Our packaging is also made from recycled goods and is compostable.

We are working with our new sales manager and industry veteran Gail Rhodes, as well as industry veteran Anna Kenney on our production and development side.

Where are Swiminista swimsuits made? And do you know the manufacturers personally, i.e. have you visited them?

Swiminista has previously been manufactured in an eco-friendly factory in Guangzhou, there are koi ponds and trees for walls inside as well. We are growing exponentially and have started to work in beautiful Bali.

Could you elaborate how the name ‘Swiminsta’ came about for your brand?

I was trying to encompass my love for fashion and swimwear, so I took the term fashionista and blended into the swim world to create Swiminista.

What’s new at Swiminista?

We are excited to continue with our collaboration with Christian Lacroix, and expand into our girls collection that has really taken off.