Swimwear is a popular and growing category, with overall sales rising 3.3 percent to $2.6 billion in 2014, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. While the big brands continue to hold the lion’s share of the market, independent labels are becoming more popular with the fashion customer. Here, a few of the brands — some new, and some not so new — that are stirring up the surf.
Thorsun
FOUNDER/DESIGNER: George Sotelo
YEAR FOUNDED: 2014
HEADQUARTERS: New York City
KEY RETAIL ACCOUNTS: Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, The Webster, Mohawk General Store, Scoop
CLAIM TO FAME: Prints, all of which are original, dominate the collection for this season and next and are based on Sotelo’s Mesoamerican revival patterns. The fit of the short is designed to be practical, with deep pockets and internal security pockets that allow the wearer to carry cash and credit cards without added bulk.
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FOUNDERS/DESIGNERS: Harry Brantly and Max Leese
YEAR FOUNDED: 2009
HEADQUARTERS: London
KEY RETAIL ACCOUNTS: Mr Porter, Matchesfashion.com, Colette, Selfridges, Harrods, Galleries Lafayette, Luisa Via Roma, The Shop at Bluebird
RETAIL PRICE POINTS: T-shirts start at $85 and a handcrafted wooden surfboard is $2,084.
CLAIM TO FAME: The brand channels the Rio de Janeiro lifestyle with its line of colorful beachwear and accessories that sport exclusive prints inspired by Brazilian sidewalks. Its tailored swim shorts were developed with a Savile Row tailor for the proper fit and are made of a quick-drying material in Lake Como, Italy.
Everest Isles
FOUNDERS/DESIGNERS: Greg and Jeff Hladky
YEAR FOUNDED: 2012
HEADQUARTERS: Wallingford, Conn.
KEY RETAIL ACCOUNTS: Mr Porter, Stanley Korshak, Braun Hamburg, Malliouhana Hotel and Spa, Four Seasons Hualalai
RETAIL PRICE POINTS: $210 to $245
CLAIM TO FAME: The brand’s signature piece is The Draupner, a swim trunk/ boardshort hybrid. Focusing on the high end with a collection of technical luxury pieces, Everest Isles uses fabrics from Switzerland’s Schoeller Textiles, Italy’s Aqua Zips and the U.K.’s Marlow, which is also used for professional yacht racers.
Orlebar Brown
FOUNDER/DESIGNER: Adam Brown
YEAR FOUNDED: 2007
HEADQUARTERS: London
KEY RETAIL ACCOUNTS: Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom
RETAIL PRICE POINTS: $240 to $345
CLAIM TO FAME: The side fasteners in a compound metal named Zamak, which doesn’t heat up in the sun, are one distinguishing feature of the brand. It doesn’t offer elastic waistbands, opting instead for a tailored fit with up to six components that can be adjusted. The brand’s Bulldog model features two side-angle front pockets and one zip back pocket.
Sundek
FOUNDER/DESIGNER: Tommaso Andorlini
YEAR FOUNDED: 1958
HEADQUARTERS: Florence
KEY RETAIL ACCOUNTS: Barneys, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom
RETAIL PRICE POINTS: $79 to $120
CLAIM TO FAME: The rainbow on the back of Sundek’s boardshorts has been a trademark for the brand since it launched. Originally started in California, the line, which is rooted in surf culture, is now designed in Florence. Technical innovation is another brand signature and for the fall 2016 collection Sundek will introduce a board short with a water-resistant pocket made for smartphones.
Charlie by Matthew Zink
FOUNDER/DESIGNER: Matthew Zink
YEAR FOUNDED: 2010
HEADQUARTERS: New York
KEY RETAIL ACCOUNTS: Sold exclusively on the company’s Web site.
RETAIL PRICE POINTS: $95 to $295
CLAIM TO FAME: Made from Italian fabrics and sewn in Sri Lanka, this collection has a vintage aesthetic with its Seventies-inspired lifeguard brief and midthigh soccer shorts. Details including internal drawstrings, gold waist buttons and a cheeky logo placement have gained Zink, who cut his teeth at Tom Ford, Carolina Herrera and Victoria’s Secret, a loyal base of #charliefans.
Hartford
FOUNDER/DESIGNER: Yves Chareton
YEAR FOUNDED: 1979
HEADQUARTERS: Paris
KEY RETAIL ACCOUNTS: Mr Porter, Barneys, Scoop, Club Monaco
RETAIL PRICE POINTS: $160 to $220
CLAIM TO FAME: Chareton based his swimwear brand on the laid-back lifestyle in Biarritz, France, which is the birthplace of European surfing in the early Sixties. Swim trunks are made from soft, quick-dry, European fabric and feature triple-needle stitching for durability, cotton mesh liners for comfort, and the brand’s famous yellow boat float key chain that’s attached to the belt loop of each trunk. Its best- selling style, the solid, quick-dry linen trunks, were originally made as a special order for Italian style figure Gianni Agnelli, the former head of Fiat.
Onia
FOUNDERS/DESIGNERS: Carl Cunow and Nathan Romano
YEAR FOUNDED: 2009
HEADQUARTERS: New York
KEY RETAIL ACCOUNTS: Barneys, Saks Fifth Avenue, Mr Porter, Lane Crawford
RETAIL PRICE POINTS: $120 to $225
CLAIM TO FAME: The brand’s signature is the Calder 7.5-inch short, a tailored chino model that functions as a swim trunk. The Charles 7-inch short is a take on a traditional swim trunk with a full elastic waistband. Shorts feature superfine mesh lining and antique nickel hardware. For its patterns, Onia partners with print houses including Liberty Art and Ratti, and the brand recently received permission from NASA to use its prints.
Parke & Ronen
FOUNDERS/DESIGNERS: Parke Lutter and Ronen Jehezkel
YEAR FOUNDED: 1997
HEADQUARTERS: New York
KEY RETAIL ACCOUNTS: Nordstrom, Barneys, Bloomingdale’s
RETAIL PRICE POINTS: Swimsuits from $125 to $160
CLAIM TO FAME: Fit, prints and color are what separates it from the pack. Its key pieces in swim include the 5-inch Lido, the 6-inch Catalonia, the Meridian Bikini, Corcovado Brief and Ibiza Square Cut. In addition to swim, the brand offers shirts, pants, shorts, sportswear, footwear and accessories and it has its own stores in New York and Los Angeles.
Dan Ward
FOUNDER/DESIGNER: Dan Ward
HEADQUARTERS: Switzerland
YEAR FOUNDED: 2012
KEY RETAIL ACCOUNTS: Saks Fifth Avenue, The Webster, Atrium, Hudson’s Bay Co.
RETAIL PRICE POINTS: $125 to $265
CLAIM TO FAME: Ward designs and produces all of his pieces in Italy. He’s known for his prints and his tailored silhouettes. Ward held posts at Alfred Dunhill, Calvin Klein and Hermès prior to launching his swim brand.