Sizzling swimwear: How to stay on trend this Summer

If you really think about it, Summer is just around the corner. No really, we are already in January, we got the hardest part over with and now we just have to gradually peel off our layers and cardigans for the next few months. Magazine’s have already started telling you what to cut out in order to get that “Beach Body” (we like you just as you are, thank you very much) and new swimwear is all the rage.

So what kind of prints and colours will you find gracing the shelves this summer?

Swimwear often mirrors current trends in fashion and lingerie, so it’s no wonder that bikini waists are high and prints are inspired by retro classics to coincide with the vintage trend. Embracing curves is one major theme of retro inspired swimwear; details such as cinched waists and fuller cupped tops are being mixed with modern pieces.

Ruffles, too, have found themselves adorning bikinis across the catwalks in another body-shaping trend. Frills and ruffles can add volume where you may be slightly lacking, perfect for balancing out the figure and sticking two fingers up to that diet book.

It’s all about getting you in the mood for a laze around on the beach or by the pool, so bright colours are a constant never-changing trend in swimwear. Designers cannot be as experimental with swimwear as they can lingerie or clothing; therefore the unique detail is often in the print!

And boy, are prints looking bold thanks to digital printing. The wonders of technology are allowing designers to update their printing methods, giving more freedom of detail and colour.

If there is one thing that causes swimwear to sell like hotcakes, it’s the promise of warm sands and tropical climates, so it’s no wonder that designers are channelling this straight into their prints. Sumptuous colours, exotic plants and parrots are everywhere, and we just love it. Our Digital Print Hummingbird bikini rides this trend without being cliché, using bright blues, purples, oranges and greens to inject that exotic look.

Walking hand-in-hand (preferably in the shade of palm trees) with the tropical trend are bold prints, inspired by various cultures and their traditional techniques, particularly those of tribal Africa and Native America. Digital printing is again a catalyst for this trend, but we also see designers using more traditional methods such as embroidery and crochet. We, too, were inspired by far-off lands for our Future Tribal Embroidery bikini, which contrasts a black bandeau bra and side-tie briefs with neon-bright ethnic embroidery.

The Colour Purple

As the leaves turn orange and brown, the sky turns to grey we seek a little colour in our autumn winter wardrobe. And we have just the colour for this sombre autumn which is looking to be upon us pretty soon according to British weather forecasters.

Moving away from the usual black and red lingerie colours, purple has invaded design boards and has become an important trend in the lingerie dye pots for the next few seasons. Various tones of purple have all been used to create unique colour-ways, from mauve to violet to lavender.

Deep purples in lingerie will still ooze seduction that a red or black ensemble may give out, but mauve has something a little more enticing and interesting that is still sexy but also wearable by day and night.

The colour purple denotes wealth and noblesse, a majestic and royal colour. It was a difficult pigment to achieve and therefore rarely used on everyday fabrics.  Today, as the dying process has been perfected, it is still a majestic and rich colour but is appealing to lingerie designers as it can be very feminine in the right shades and also flattering.

Deep purple lingerie is subtle and elegant and has brought a contemporary colour to traditional designs. Playful Promises have made full use of the purple design brief by including a mauve Genie set with triangle soft-cup bra, non-padded bra and brief with gathered detail on the back. This set works well on pale and tanned skin tones.

We have also included a mauve, peach and pink printed range. Etti has a beautiful floral print inspired by the latest colour trends and has the added satin fabric to add a real majestic opulence to the sets.  Emma, our designer, has framed the purple floral print with satin black straps and black mesh inserts. This has added a retro design element to the feminine cut pieces, but as a set they are highly contemporary designs that have proved very popular.

This season’s swimwear has seen a small injection of mauve bikinis and swimsuits, however it is next season’s autumn winter lingerie that will see the largest use of deep purple tones. This promises a lighter purple colour for spring summer 2012, the use of lilacs will again be vastly popular in lingerie. We have a little treat in store for next season’s swimwear but check out our Exotic Charmer bikini set or Swimsuit for a bold injection of purple in your swimwear this summer.