November 2009

Sandsational

Put your best body forward when you step into summer in these gorgeous Aussie cossies

WORDS MARIE SOURRIS

COZI

PERFECT FOR: Nobbys Beach, Newcastle, New South Wales
When the former Miss Universe launched her debut collection of swimwear for Myer last year proved she was more than just a pretty face – Jennifer Hawkins knows how to make us look good, too. This year, Hawkins has expanded her fun Cozi range of flattering triangle bikinis and classic one piece silhouettes to include must-have beach items such as the perfect straw bag, relaxed muslin beach pants, crochet dresses, maxi dresses and denim cut-offs. “I grew up spending endless days at the beach with family and friends – and even now I still can’t think of a better way to spend my days,” says Hawkins, originally from Newcastle. Cozi is light-hearted, unpretentious, youthful, active and energetic... pure Jen. Available from Myer department stores

HOTEL BONDI SWIM

PERFECT FOR: Bondi Beach, Sydney, New South Wales
Sydneysiders Fern Levack and Damion Fuller love Bondi’s carefree and creative lifestyle so much, they decided to create an entire swimwear brand devoted to it. Every bikini from their Hotel Bondi Beach label expresses a little piece of the local culture through gorgeous prints so the luxury swimsuits are lapped up by fans all over the world. This season, the label is channelling 1960s icon Brigitte Bardot for her “loose, informal sex appeal and individuality”. Bondi’s own backyard and landscape provided the inspiration says the duo – “from garden gnomes and dandelions to an environmental ‘Greens’ bikini reflecting the strong local support for Senator Bob Brown, a hero of ours”. www.hotelbondiswim.com

KIARGO

PERFECT FOR: Lake Alexander, Darwin, Northern Territory
When designer Jessica Holmes joined forces with Duncan McLean, a former banker turned swimwear designer, she had just one goal in mind: to create a fashionable swimwear range for sexy, busty women. They called it Ki Argo. As an E-cup herself, Holmes was all too aware of the lack of choice for the average DD sized Australian woman. Inspired by McLean’s labels Funky Trunks and Funkita, it was clear to Holmes that vintage styling in vibrant prints still appealed in Australia.

“Ki Argo defined my goal to design the perfect swimsuit that I would feel comfortable wearing… and my mum as well!” says Holmes. Practical (the pieces are chlorine resistant), body sculpting (it’s the same fabric used for Olympic-performance swimsuits) and stylish (check out this season’s sexy tiger print), Ki Argo is stocked throughout Australia, New Zealand and online, from sizes 8 to 18 up to an E-cup. www.kiargo.com

WHITE SANDS

PERFECT FOR: Gold Coast, Queensland
“Growing up on Queensland’s Gold Coast with its pristine beaches, stunning resorts and plenty of sunshine, it seemed a natural progression that I would eventually design swimwear,” says designer Leah Madden, who creates her Italian lycra and silk White Sands collection for the woman who is “a little sexy, a little fun, always fashionable, and savvy enough to know quality when she sees it.”

This season, the beautifully shaped maillots pay homage to Florida’s dazzling Miami Beach – think sweet, frilly, bandeau bikinis, plunging v-necklines and itsy bitsy Brazilian bottoms. Partying in Surfers Paradise? Throw on one of the sexy sequinned T-shirt dresses or playful frocks for after hours. www.whitesandsaustralia.com

REBECCA MANNING

PERFECT FOR: Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Since launching at Brisbane’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival in August, Rebecca Manning’s first range of flirty swimwear– in a rainbow of summer colours, metallic hues and feminine florals – has developed a cult following. Combining her first two loves, fine arts and fashion, Manning’s swimwear is a canvas for hand-painted and vintage textile prints sourced from around the country. Quirky bespoke charms such as hummingbirds, gold butterflies and skulls add edge to the range. “I want every piece in my collection to look rich and vibrant, not mass produced, and completely different to anything on the market,” Manning says. Resort pieces such as the vintage silk floral skirts, oversized T-shirts and detachable maxi skirts (which clip onto your bikini) take you from the beach to lunch then cocktail bar in a flash. www.rebeccamanning.com.au

KAREN NEILSEN

PERFECT FOR: Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays, Queensland
When Karen Neilsen recently came across old snaps of her parents at resort hot spot The Entrance in the 1950s – complete with juke boxes, milk bars, outdoor skating rink and open beach fires – it stirred up nostalgic visions of retro surf glamour and carnival fun. “The ’50s was a glamorous era – the pin up girls and Varga girls came out with fashion vengeance and represented colour and class; my new range exudes similar traits,” says Neilsen. Now those ideas have manifested themselves in her self-titled swimwear range where everything goes, from a vintage polka dot motif in classic one-piece swimsuits, to retro two-pieces and frilly bikinis. www.karenneilsencollection.com

BILLABONG

PERFECT FOR: Bells Beach, Great Ocean Road, Victoria
It may have started in a little shack on the Gold Coast in the early ’70s, but today Billabong is one of the biggest surf brands in the world. Long gone are the days when surfer Gordon Merchant and his partner would design and cut out boardshorts on the kitchen table.

Once word got out about Merchant’s super durable garments (thanks to his signature triple-stitching technique) locals came running. The rest of the world continues to follow suit – thanks to additional women’s, snow and skate ranges. Thirty-six years on, Billabong still heads the pack with its fun designs featuring flirty beach and floral iconography. www.billabong.com/au

KOOEY

PERFECT FOR: Cottesloe Beach, Perth, Western Australia
Fresh from the runways of Sydney Fashion Festival and SwimShow Miami, Kooey’s designs have been inspired by some truly breathtaking sights: the colours and shapes of Australia’s very own landscapes, flora and fauna. The brainchild of fashion PR Matt Meyerson, Kooey’s range of signature indigenous prints, custom-designed and made from the brand’s Western Australian headquarters, captures the essence of our big red land. Look out for the Ningaloo Collection featuring prints from indigenous artist Anne Kngwarreye launching in February, inspired by the Ningaloo Reef off Exmouth in north-west Australia. www.kooey.com