Swimwear sales are on the rise. Nothing less than 34% in the last two months, according to the Editd data platform. The fact that little by little trips are resumed and, with them, the desire to get ready again has made this market experience a spring boom. In fact, many brands are taking advantage of this new opportunity to expand their business by launching bathroom lines. In recent months, the American basic brand has launched swimsuits Everlane, TikTok’s favorite sports brand, Girlfriend Collective and even two celebrities very different from each other, but equally prescriptive, Kylie Jenner and tennis player Naomi Osaka, have decided to undertake in this sector. Editd’s analysis also points out that this season consumers prefer one-piece swimsuits, without printing and, if possible, sustainable. Back to the basics, also in this field, which for years was dominated by passing styles and, therefore, almost throwaway consumption every summer. However, it seems that the new mantra started during the pandemic – ‘consume less and consume better’ – has also reached the world of the bathroom.
One of the Eres swimsuits from the summer 2021 collection. Photo: Courtesy of Eres
–
“A swimsuit lasts a lifetime,” says Marie-Paule Minchelli, studio director of ArePerhaps the flagship of luxury swimsuits par excellence. The investment is high (its prices range between 300 and 500 euros) but it works in the long term. And short, because the difference between a cheap bathroom piece and an expensive one is not only in longevity, but also in design. Each new Eres «model takes about 18 months to design. They require a lot of research to get the perfect shade. Cutting work also takes time to achieve the desired perfection, ”explains Minchelli. The mission is twofold: each piece has to adapt to the body like a second skin and have a new but timeless design that will not go out of style after several summers.
On the one hand, the story of a swimsuit premium It is very similar to that of any other luxury firm: artisan and local production in its own workshops, suppliers of exclusive materials (a luxury swimsuit usually has a high percentage of silk, and even cashmere) and a history focused on the step of time and exclusivity: the elite beaches of Saint -Tropez in the case of another mythical brand in the exclusive bathroom, Crankshaft; In Eres, the starting point is May 68 and its revolutionary concept of swimwear for the whole year. On the other, to this detailed and historical know how an element is added: that of innovation. Because a swimsuit is, in some way, a technical garment, which must report comfort and fit the body in a special way.
We rely on local partners, such as our lacemakers in Calais and Caudry (in the north of France) and our silk suppliers in Lyon for certain models, in order to limit our impact on the environment as much as possible. For certain materials, such as cashmere, we prefer to develop our products in the country of origin of the material to obtain a better manufacturing quality. “We encourage our different partners to always develop the technique beyond what has already been done,” says Minchelli. In Eres, for example, they work in workshops, but also in innovation centers, where they study in what proportions lycra should be added or how to mix elastane with natural fabrics such as silks and cottons. In this more than half-century of existence, they have patented materials such as the Peau Douce fabric, which hides small defects, the Parachute Light, which wraps the body like a second skin or the Taffettas Plume, one of the lightest on the market.
But innovation in the field of swimwear is not only about comfort or silhouette. Sustainability is the criterion that marks part of the current demand. And it should be key in a sector like this that, by definition, uses synthetic fabrics and different derivatives of plastic in its manufacture. According to the aforementioned Editd report, “The demand for organic or recycled fabrics, such as Econyl, grows 307% year after year”. However, due to the raw materials involved and the manufacturing processes it requires, making a sustainable swimsuit “increases the price by a minimum of 63%.” If it is materially impossible for any truly ‘clean’ garment to be cheap, It is even more so if we talk about the field of the bathroom. There are signatures premium swimwear, such as the British Pure, which work with Econyl (regenerated nylon) and others, such as the Spanish All Sisters, which only work with organic fibers. Obviously, local production also considerably reduces the carbon footprint, although perhaps there is nothing more sustainable than the longevity of the piece. From Eres, they say that their clients «take their daughters for their swimsuits. There is a kind of heritage idea behind the brand. Because, like a luxury handbag or scarf, an exclusive swimsuit is designed to show off in an eternal summer if it is cared for properly. «You don’t have to wash it by hand, it’s better to wash it in a machine at 30 degrees so as not to break the fiber. And you should never leave your swimsuit to soak, as sea salt could damage the color.
Swimsuits from the sustainable Spanish firm Now_Then.
–
–
