In what is proving to be a fun niche in the swim industry, more designers are fashioning mother-daughter swimwear, tapping into what they say is a trend that had its genesis in street clothes and T-shirts, but has since overlapped into all categories.
Denise Richards and Kelly Ripa have shown up on the beach in crocheted Lyla Blu bikinis, their young daughters sporting the same style. Brooke Shields and her two baby girls have been spotted in Greta’s Garden floral-print swim ensembles made by Aqua Swimwear, and actress/model-turned-designer Elizabeth Hurley has added to her swim line a sexy leopard print one-piece swimsuit featuring a daring lace-up front for mom and a sweet ruffle on a pint-size version for girls.
Natalie Walker, president of Aqua Swimwear in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., is among those who champion the trend. “I thought, wouldn’t it be so cute to match my little girl’s swimsuit to my own?” she said.
The brand launched five years ago with around five fabrics and a handful of styles, but has grown to include resortwear, cover-ups and dresses, and sells in approximately 50 stores nationwide. The collection features pretty, lively prints and colors — including lots of pink, fresh-looking whites and blues — and includes extras like dangling crystal hearts, embroideries and appliqués.
“We always have matching skirts for both mother and daughter that they can wear like a sun dress, as well as matching T-shirts,” Walker said.
Wholesale prices are $21 to $24 for the children’s line and $44 for the women’s offerings. (All the adult-sized clothes are sold as separates.) Walker said the biggest challenge lies in merchandising: The ideal is to have both collections sold side-by-side, but most retailers aren’t able to accommodate that.
Walker is building the business through family-friendly resort stores.
“We’re also working with event people to bring back the idea of mother-daughter times,” said Walker. “I remember the good-old days when moms and daughters would do things together. We’d like to incorporate teas, fashion shows, things that moms can bring their little girls to to have fun together.”
Some designers say they started creating the mommy-and-me looks as a result of customer demand. Lyla Blu, an Oak Park, Calif., brand, originally started as a children’s clothing line in 2005. But when designer Lisa Leija turned out an offering of cute, best-selling crocheted bikinis for children, mothers asked her to do identical pieces for them. Now going into its third season, the mother-daughter bikinis represent an increasingly important part of Lyla Blu’s business. Leija estimates sales are up nearly 90 percent, with a significant online business and distribution through stores like Planet Blue.
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For the current season, styles include a rainbow-colored bikini with chocolate brown trim, a wasabi green style with a peace sign on the bottom and a black-and-white striped version with a red rose motif.
“They’re a little hippie and rock ‘n’ roll,” said Leija. “But I see more moms in great shape who want to be hip and have these matching bikinis for their girls.” The bikinis wholesale for $27 to $28 for the kids’ versions, and $60 for the adult sizes.
The Elizabeth Hurley Beach collection, which sells at numerous stores around the world, including Scoop in the U.S., does a thriving business in matching mother-daughter swimsuits, Hurley said.
“I’ve always felt faintly guilty about loving mother-daughter styles, but I’ve always thought it can look enchanting,” she said.
Styles include virtually identical pieces with a few details changed, as well as coordinating suits, such as a kid’s printed bikini trimmed with a solid, and a matching solid for the mother. The prices range at wholesale from $31 for the kids’ looks to $61 for adult suits, and additional offerings include sundresses, flip-flops, caftans and beach bags.
“We use the same very soft, expensive Italian Lycra [spandex] for both the kids and the adult swim[suits] and manufacture entirely in Italy,” Hurley said.
Designers caution that creating these collections is more nuanced than simply shrinking an adult swim line.
“You have to have things that a little girl would want to dress up in and coordinate that to something mummy would wear,” said Rhona Sutton, designer of Beautique, a swim company with offices in London and New York.
The company is known for its embellished suits, so Sutton uses beading and stones in different ways for both categories. The children’s and women’s collections are kept separate, with styles that cross over between the two. A navy suit in a larger size might come in a softer blue for a young girl, and a coordinating trim can unify both looks. The suits wholesale from $16 to $25 for the kids and $45 to $65 for the adults.
The mother-daughter trend is being seen at all price points. Old Navy is doing mix-and-match bikinis for $16.50 per piece at retail for adults and $8.50 per piece for little girls. Bold colors like coral, yellow, blue and purple are important this season.
“Old Navy makes it chic by incorporating similar patterns and colors in both the adult and children’s line,” said a spokeswoman for the company. “This way they have the option of whether or not they want to match head to toe.”
Beautique’s Sutton believes the trend won’t wane in the near future.
“It’s going to last at least the next 10 years,” she said. “People are enamored with their children now, and want to give them what they can. And for mothers, it’s like reliving their childhood all over again.”