 great all summer)
These innovative swimwear brands will keep you looking (and feeling) great all summer
So, what makes a swimsuit great? Fit is the obvious one. When combating crashing waves or sitting all day in the shade, the skintight nature of a swimsuit can be the difference between a good day and a great one. Retention—such as how well colors and material hold up against the sun, saltwater, and chlorine—also matters. Some suits may only see the light of day while on holiday, but that’s all the more reason for them to last year after year.
And of course, do we think the suit is flattering? That said, “flattering” is subjective. The way a swimsuit makes you feel when you wear it is a very personal experience, with so many variables that we can’t really pick out “the one” for you. But we can certainly make some really great suggestions.
LONDRE
The stylishly minimal Vancouver-made swimsuits from Londre are designed with a sustainable poly blend made from plastic bottles and upcycled, pre-consumer crustacean shells. (Don’t let it freak you out, the material is called Chitosante; it’s soft, stretchy, and contains an EPA-certified antibacterial bioagent.) The fittingly named Minimalist suit features tailbone-grazing low back and full coverage front for major wow factor without too much fuss.
TA3
TA3 founder Leila Shams marries swim and shapewear for her patent-pending, lace-back designs that seem to be made to go TikTok viral. (No shock: they did.) Each suit is designed to support and sculpt when you pull and tie the corset-like back, while the ultra-stretchy compression fabric has enough give to keep the suits comfortable for all-day wear. (The brand’s name stands for “eat” backward and they even say their designs can double as a bodysuit.
GIRLFRIEND COLLECTIVE
Size inclusivity has been baked into Girlfriend Collective’s mission from the start, so naturally it extends to their sustainable swimwear category that launched in 2021. The brand’s new collection, which dropped in late April, includes sleek and supportive one- and two-piece swimwear in 13 different styles and sizes XXS to 6XL. This time, the brand spent time designing around pain points — removable bra cups and full-coverage bottoms that don’t ride up — while utilizing buttery, UPF 50+ fabric made from an ECONYL blend.
SUMMERSALT
Summersalt’s eco-friendly, color-blocked swimsuits are designed for movement and comfort. The Sidestroke—an asymmetrical paneled one-piece—is a cult favorite, but we also love the rest of the range that uses light compression and bright contrasting hues for reliable but whimsical suits.
CUUP
Lingerie brand Cuup charmed consumers with its chic unlined styles and curve-complimenting fits when it launched in 2018. Last summer, the brand entered swim, with separates that borrow from the same signature shapes as Cuup’s bra collection. Sizes range from 30A to 42F, so tops feel like they’re made to fit, rather than the wide-reaching standardized sizing that often ends in a day of adjustments and spillage.
BODEN
If you’re not already a stan, Boden’s practical and pretty swim collection is a great intro to the British brand. Its swimsuits are strategically ruched, trimmed, and cut for elegant but still comfortable support. Several—like one Fast Company editor’s favorite, the Kefalonia suit—use recycled nylon for soft, durable, and earth-friendly fabric.
LIVELY
Lively is known to make bralettes accessible to everyone—especially bustier women who never found the support they needed in wireless, pad-free designs. The company’s swim collection follows in suit, with supportive, sustainable separates and rashguards that are size-inclusive, with Busty versions of their bralette tops made specifically for sizes 32DD to 38DDD.
KNIX
Toronto-based Knix is known for its leakproof underwear, and its swim collections offer the same fail-safe relief while weathering the surf and sand. The company’s two brands, Knix and Knix Teen, offer comfy period-proof bathing suits and separates that can do the work of up to three tampons. (They also also have a range of cute styles for post-period life worth checking out.)
GOOD AMERICAN
In the spirit of its Always Fits denim line, Good American released the Always Fits Swim collection that stretches to accommodate fluctuating sizes. The minimalist textured pieces joined Good American’s existing swim lineup in 2021 with easy-to-wear one-piece suits and bikini separates that can stretch or shrink between two sizes—for example, size 1-2 fits a small, a medium, and anywhere in between.
EVERLANE
Of course we can rely on Everlane to create the perfect minimalist swim line. Its new no-fail, affordable swimwear collection spans three classic one-piece cuts and a range of bikini separates in trend-proof colors with good coverage made from Econyl regenerated nylon.
ANDIE
Andie’s tried-and-true swimwear is developed based on fit and wear tests from more than 300,000 women. The collection is designed to be comfortably lived in, not just worn for show — and is available across several signature fabrics—such as the post-consumer plastic Eco, heavily compressed and made for action Ribbed, and the subtly sparkly Luster. Bonus for UPF 50+ protection and access to all-knowing Fit Experts.
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