NEW YORK — London-based Canadians Emma Cheevers and Alexandra Suhner didn’t envision tropical beaches when they were designing their debut swimwear line, State of Undress Bathe.
Instead, the duo channeled the cool Riviera glamour of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Tender Is the Night” to produce a five-piece collection of swimsuits and bikinis. Many of the pieces feature details from their five-year-old lingerie line, State of Undress, such as bikini tops and bottoms that tie with handkerchief knots, alongside swimsuits with boy-cut pants and plunging necklines.
“We wanted the collection to have a 1920s feel, with really bright, saturated tones for the prints,” said Cheevers, who added that the pink, black and turquoise retro floral prints in the line were inspired by a vintage sundress she bought on Capri.
Cheevers and Suhner designed the collection, which wholesales from $81 for a bikini to $107 for a bikini with a mini pareo, in association with Dow Fiber Solutions, using the stretch fabric Dow XLA. “It’s been a fantastic partnership, as Dow gave us total creative control,” said Cheevers. “It was a natural progression for us to move into a swim line, but we’d put it on hold in the beginning, as it was too much of a financial concern.”
Cheevers said the Dow fabric the designers worked with meant the swimwear would resist fading from the sun, chlorine and sun lotions. “It really pulls the body in, too,” she added.
The collection has launched with a capsule line for winter 2006, which will retail at stores such as Austique and Miss Lala’s Boudoir in London and Patricia Field in New York. For summer 2007, there will be a larger collection, including loungewear pieces such as caftans and pareos, which the duo hope will expand to more units in the U.S.
State of Undress’ lingerie line, which wholesales from $22 for silk panties to $305 for a gift box with a robe, eye mask and silk pillow, is currently sold at Catriona MacKechnie and Patricia Field in New York and Luxe Lingerie and Milk in Los Angeles.
Cheevers said wholesale prices for the lingerie line will be lowered by between 15 and 20 percent for spring 2007 to give the brand better access to the U.S. market.
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“London is more forgiving, and you can produce small runs, but in U.S. department stores it’s a whole new level of business,” said Cheevers. “We have to go in there with the right products at the right prices.”