Miami Swim Week The Shows: 6 Emerging names that lit up Miami’s runways
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Fashion |In Pictures
Over the course of May 29 to June 2, Miami was inundated with a slew of swimwear-related events, shows and parties, bringing to the city a vast array of established and emerging brands. One of these collective events was Miami Swim Week The Shows, an event owned and managed by the DCSW group.
This year, the occasion played host to over 60 runways, many of which were hosted by emerging labels that, for the most part, were making their swim week debut. As such, the platform serves an important role in providing these young brands with the opportunity to speak to a new crowd. Here are some that contributed to both MSW’s missions of sustainability and diversity.
Kené Kaya, Peru
Incorporating ancestral Peruvian techniques into its designs is at the core of contemporary fashion brand Kené Kaya. The label, which works with a collective of women artisans from the Shipibo-Konibo tribe of the Peruvian Amazon, hopes to reclaim traditional indigenous techniques, for which the artwork acts as both a method of healing and generating income during times of hardship. The term Kené refers to the geometric patterns embroidered into every garment by the brand, with many of these distinct shapes unique to each artisan and reflecting the fauna of the Amazon.
For Kené Kaya founder Alessandra Durand, who descends from Peru herself, support of these individuals has gone far beyond simply working with them on clothing collections. The brand has supported the local community through Covid-19 relief funds and donations to the Bilingual Shipibo-Konibo Elementary School. A similarly personal perspective also runs deep into Durand’s production, which, when she was asked about, she said: “I have a personal relationship with every point of my supply chain and seek to collaborate and work with talented women from underserved communities. In my country, there is too much talent trapped in poverty, and I look to not only provide avenues of economic empowerment but also highlight their remarkable work on a global scale.”
For Durand, Miami Swim Week provided her with the perfect opportunity to debut into the swimwear market, having previously stuck to resort wear in past collections. This presented a challenge in the form of incorporating the embroidered textile art into swim pieces, alongside a selection of additional resort wear. “I wanted the opportunity to create other mediums of pieces that share [the artisans’] heritage art forms and create access and agency for talented artists whose work would otherwise be limited to the streets of Lima [where artisans have settled in a diasporic community, ed.],” Durand told FashionUnited.
- Founded: The brand was founded in 2019 by Alessandra Durand, a former student of Oxford University and Stanford before becoming a business consultant for Fortune 500 companies for over eight years
- Bestseller: Embroidered linen kimonos from the brand’s Resort wear line
- Target audience: Global young to mature women ages 15 and over
- Points of sale: Online website and retailers in high tourist points like Cuzco, Peru. The brand has the goal of expanding into retailers in the US
- Sales: info@kenekaya.com
- Price: Resort wear clothing, including kimonos, vests and tops, ranges from 55 to 110 dollars
- Production: Much of the brand’s products and materials are created and sourced from local producers, seamstresses, artisans and artists based in Lima, Peru, while some of its swimwear collection features lycra from Brazil. Core products are created by globally recognised indigenous artist and artisan Olinda Silvano and her collective of artisans in Lima
Salpica, Puerto Rico
“Salpica is focused on female empowerment, sustainability and quality,” designer and founder Marly Cortes emphasised when describing the heart of the brand. Defined as “eco-conscious playa wear”, Salpica’s ecocentric values are rooted in its production process, for which the design is based in Puerto Rico while creation takes place in Bali. Here, the brand incorporates materials made from recycled ocean plastics in what Cortes says in an “effort to reduce waste”, a mission that is further reflected in the designer’s decision to stick to limited quantities in a bid to avoid overproduction.
This mindset further carries into Salpica’s hero product, the 4-in-1 swim, which has been a staple of the brand since its launch. The “one-piece, multiple options” can be worn, as the name suggests, in a variety of ways, with both shape and colour entirely adjustable depending on the needs of the wearer. In fact, colour and print are also a crucial element of Cortes values. “Our prints are designed in-house every season,” she explained. “We found inspiration mainly from nature and island living, making our designs very bold and fresh.”
- Founded: Salpica was founded in 2018 by designer Marly Cortes, who had previously served in creative and research roles at Converse and Alexander Wang
- Bestseller: A 4-in-1 swimsuit that can be worn in multiple ways
- Points of sale: The brand sells in limited quantities from its online store
- Sales: salpicaplaya@gmail.com
- Price: Women’s swimwear ranges from 60 dollars for a bikini top or bottom to 160 dollars adaptable swimsuit. Apparel, such as a sweatshirt or sarong, sit between 35 and 65 dollars, while hats are around 30 dollars
- Production: Products are designed in Puerto Rico and made in Bali
Humans, the US
The concept for unisex brand Humans came to designer Troy Sylvester in the midst of the pandemic, and has since become a mainstay in his home city of Los Angeles. Having previously exhibited on the Miami Swim Week runway, this year Sylvester returned to the limelight, bringing forward a selection of both swimwear, ready-to-wear and eveningwear looks that encapsulated the curated yet still wide reaching expanse of Humans’ offering. It was also an opportunity for Sylvester to once again emphasise the inclusive values he holds close to the heart of the brand.
The company in itself functions close-to-home, an important aspect of what makes Humans human, according to the young designer. The entire line is hand sewn, dyed and embroidered in LA, where Sylvester has formed long-term bonds with his production line. On this process, Sylvester said: “We’ve worked with this production company for three years, and it truly feels like a family. It’s rewarding to work alongside a team of people who genuinely care about the brand's best interest.”
- Founded: Designer Troy Sylvester founded Humans in 2021 from his LA base with support from his mother, Kris Sylvester
- Bestseller: Handmade bikinis and denim pants are among Humans’ best selling products
- Target audience: Sylvester sees his buyer group as individuals who love to show some skin and “appreciate high-quality, handmade items”. “We cater to everyone, regardless of size, gender or style preference,” he noted
- Points of sale: Humans currently sells from its website and Instagram page where orders can be placed through direct messages. Each item is made-to-order with custom sizing based on a customer’s specifications
- Sales: @humansthebrand on Instagram
- Price: Bikinis and swimsuits sit between 95 and 195 dollars, while clothing, such as cargo pants, hoodies and dresses, range from 195 to 295 dollars
- Production: Each item is handmade in LA, where it is sewn, dyed and embroidered by an in-house team. Fabrics are also locally sourced from the city, “prioritising sustainability and ethical production practices”
Mars the Label, the UK
Arianna Ajtar’s mission of bolstering the confidence of women was the driver behind the launch of her brand, Mars the Label. Her collections, spanning swimwear, dresses, loungewear and accessories, cater to “women of all shapes and sizes with an eclectic array of offerings” and have helped her to expand her business across the globe, from the US to Australia. Atjar’s focus on “functional glamour” has further helped her garner a notable fan base of internet and TV personalities among her consumers, including Mary Bedford, Sophie Kasaei and Chloe Burrows.
To show in Miami, however, has been on Ajtar’s ‘to do list’ since founding the brand from her parent’s home. “I’ve worked towards debuting for so long, that by the time we were ready as a brand, the pandemic had hit and borders were shut,” she explained ahead of the brand’s Miami debut. “However, this time allowed us to prepare and make a serious impact on the US swim scene. Miami is the ‘home’ of all things swim so it aligns perfectly with Mars the Label. Although we cover a wide range of clothes options, swimwear is our bread and butter.”
- Founded: Arianna Ajtar founded the brand from her English family home in 2016
- Bestseller: Mars the Label’s hero product is its fishtail swim, which is made from a “high-quality spandex fabric that perfectly accentuates every body type”
- Target audience: The brand’s main demographic is women aged 18 to 40, a category that had grown following the expansion of its range
- Points of sale: Primarily sells from Instagram, its own website, and via third parties including Asos and Dubai-based retailer Sota
- Sales: help@marsthelabel.com
- Price: While full swimsuits can be found in the range of 38 to 45 pounds, two piece bikinis sit between 55 and 30 pounds. Sets, meanwhile, which consist of three pieces – a bikini top, bottoms and a cover up – come to 55 pounds
- Production: Production takes place globally, depending on the specialisation of each region to “ensure the best quality across all ranges”. This includes Turkey, India, China and the UK, while the in-house team designs and operates from Manchester, England
HeartGlass, the US
HeartGlass was founded on the basis of addressing the very real need for swimwear and shapewear that caters to women with specific body shapes. As such, the brand said it was one of the first to offer one-piece garments for different top, bottom and waist sizes, a concept that continues to be central to the brand. Its neutral colourways also help in giving each product the dual ability of serving as solely a shapewear piece or as swimwear, the latter being supported by a number of special features, such as being chlorine resistant and blocking out UVA and UVB rays.
Founder and designer Demi George sees HeartGlass as a tool of empowerment for women of different shapes and sizes, as evidenced by her approach to her Miami Swim Week show, where indeed there was a diverse selection of individuals modelling the brand’s looks. George herself also debuted on the runway sporting one of her swimsuits, a move she said came with support from the models she had personally selected. She added: “I only want to work with people that truly want to support me and the other designers. I told myself I had no choice but to do the show. I figured out how to get everything done, from getting sponsors to expanding into new styles, really pushing it to the limit and believing in myself.”
- Founded: Demi George founded HeartGlass in 2019 to address the need of swimwear for women with specific body shapes
- Bestseller: The Swim Shape Suit one piece is the brand’s best seller and offers features like compression fabric that is UPF 50++, blocking out 99 percent of UVA and UVB rays. The product, according to HeartGlass, is also chlorine resistant and can be worn both as swimwear or shapewear
- Target audience: Women between the ages of 20 and 60 in various stages of their life are among the buyer group. The brand also targets consumers from the Sunbelt region who are looking for daily protection against the sun’s rays
- Points of sale: The brand sells via its own website as well as through the website and stores of US-based retailers Orchard Mile and Flirt Boutique
- Sales: contact@shopheartglass.com
- Price: One piece swim shape suits sit at 228 dollars, while two pieces have prices starting at 135 dollars
- Production: All production of HeartGlass designs takes place in Los Angeles
Omray Swimwear, Australia
Omray Kupeli initially launched what is now known as Omray under the name Little Croissants Swim, however, as the vision for the brand evolved, the designer opted to undergo a rebrand to “establish a deeper connection to our roots”. Kupeli set out to embrace a new perspective that aimed to push boundaries in the swimwear realm, through timeless designs that evoke eras of fashion’s past for a new audience. As such, many of the brand's products merge Australian aesthetic with inspiration from Parisian style, as seen in the use of colours some of which Kupeli said draw on Yves Saint Laurent’s time in Morocco’s Jardin Majorelle back in the 80s.
Thoughtful design also extends into Omray’s production process, which takes place in Bali at a woman-led factory. Here, the brand utilises “100 percent sustainable Italian Carvico vita fabric” to create its looks, incorporating Econyl nylon and Xtra Life Lycra or recycled Repreve Nylon. Next to its swimwear collections, Renaissance and Mesdames, Omray also recently launched its first Resort wear line, Osmose, bringing to its overall offering dresses, oversized shirts and flared pants.
- Founded: Omray Swimwear was founded by namesake designer Omray Kupeli in 2021 in Sydney, Australia
- Bestseller: Omray’s bestsellers, the Monroe bikini top and Varda bottoms, both offer an array of features, including body enhancing abilities, while the similarly popular Alma top and Fatale bottoms are described by the brand as “timeless classics”
- Target audience: Omray aims to speak to women between the ages of 18 and 45 that are seeking high fashion swimwear that is comfortable and stylish, with “100 percent sustainable” premium recycled Italian fabrics
- Points of sale: The brand currently sells exclusively online and intermittently hosts pop-ups across Australia, Paris and Ibiza. It is also eyeing potential stockists in the US
- Sales: Marie Decaudin, pr@omrayswimwear.com
- Price: Individual bikini bottoms and tops range from 54 to 65 dollars, while one pieces sit at around 130 dollars
- Production: Omray produces in Bali in a small, women-owned factory with products then verified by Kupeli who also carries out product design from her home base in Australia