Mara Hoffman Swimwear - Resort 2011 Collection

Mara Hoffman did it bright and bold for 2011...no surprise there.  Once again, she has come up with some KILLER swimsuits for the 2011 Cruise season. She made use of all those neons and psychedelic prints from the 60's and brought them to current day fashion.  She's also continued with her graphic tribal designs.  I'm totally lovin' this new, strappy one piece swimsuit, Batik Red Net Back Maillot, both front and back.

The Bandeau has been the darling of swimsuit fashion lately and Mara did her take on it with a clever, two-toned, underwire top.  She did it in several combos...mixing bright solids with one of her many, custom prints.  Here's her Batik Red Underwire Bikini done in red/tribal. 

She also did in a cool color palette of blues and lime with her Batik Sky Underwire Bandeau Bikini.

Of course, we'll still be seeing more of those gorgeous cover-ups from Mara Hoffman in 2011.  This season she even did skin tight leggings. OMG!  How sexy is THAT?

 

It will be interesting to see if the Mara Hoffman fans go for them.  The 2011 Mara Hoffman Swimwear will be in stock just in time for the holidays...just in time to get out of the dreary cold and head for sunny beaches and warm, balmy climes.

~ C.

Karla Colletto Swimwear 2011 - Looking Forward To Fall

Karla Colletto keeps coming up with more and more classic, one piece swimsuits.  I love my Karla swimsuits...and I've seen a LOT of swimsuits in my career.  Granted, there was a day when I wore nothing but the tiniest string bikinis, but now that I'm, "more mature," (IE; not 20 years old and hanging a kid on each arm,) I'm so glad that Karla is around.  I always feel sexy and beautiful in my KC swimsuits.  The fit is impeccable, the styling is classic, the the quality and workmanship is beyond compare.  Plus, the support is where I need it, with Karla's hidden, floating under wire bodice.  I will never settle for a cheaply made swimsuit from the discount chain store or catalog again. EVER!!!  I slip my KC swimsuit on and head for the pool knowing that I look beautiful and that the swimsuit won't come apart while doing my laps and lazing through the afternoon.  After all...enjoying the beach and pool isn't a matter of demographics.  We should all enjoy our day in the sun.

The new Karla Colletto Swimwear 2011 Collection is full of fanciful bathing suits.  I absolutely love the Black Piping One Piece Swimsuit and have ordered an extra one just for "Moi."  The color is fabulous, the styling superb and the fit...oh, the fit....is like nothing else. I feel at least 20 pounds thinner!  Whether, your 25, or 55, this swimsuit will look divine on everyone.   This is a bathing suit that I can actually wear in front of friends and family and know that I look, "killer," in it!  There are no regrets.   So, it's on to fall...on to romantic escapes...tropical beaches, sweet days lazing by the pool with my, "Honey," and time for a new Karla Colletto Swimsuit!

~C.

2011 Red Carter Swimwear...So Wearable, So Cute!

You've got to see the new 2011 Red Carter Swimwear Collection.  The pix are now arriving.  Damn!  It's cute this year!

~ C.

It's On To Vegas...The 2011 Fashion Trade Shows, MAGIC and More

A few words of wisdom to my fashion buyer:

The Las Vegas fashion trade shows are daunting to say the least.  There's MAGIC (no magicians,) POOL (no pool,) PROJECT (no construction workers,) ISAM (NOT "Sam I am,") CURVE (no windy road,) SLATE (no rock quarry) and I'm sure that I'm forgetting a few more spin-off shows. This is some serious sourcing.  Pack your gym shoes, bring practical clothes and don't forget your wallet...Las Vegas isn't a cheap town by any means. Seriously, a buyer should consider doing some long distance training before going, because honey, you're going to walk miles and miles and miles.  This is a marathon show!  Then there are marathon parties too...which I advise you to go early, leave early...you're going to need your strength and wits about you for that 9AM appointment.  For a fashion buyer, this is probably a group of the most important shows that you can attend, so be smart about it.  I only say this because I've seen good sourcers bite the dust many, MANY times in LV and it isn't pretty when they get back home, so be forewarned.
 
:::sigh:::

OK, I've made my point and now you know why I am not going this year.  I'm sending you, one of our savviest girls, to hunt for a few needed items for the catalog.  I know that you'll do great.  You can battle the crowds, swelter in the heat, and nurse the hangover.  You're only there for a day...in and out.  How much damage can be done? 

"Parties?"  NO 
"Gambling Expense Account?" NO 
"VIP Club?"  NO 
"A Headlining Show?"  NO
"Dinner at Le Cirque?" NO 
"Well, Can I have a new bikini for the trip?"  NO 
Just come back with some killer stuff and in one piece.

MAGIC is serious business.

~ C.

Miami Swim Shows - Wrapping Things Up

Last night was the final show at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Miami, featuring the 2011 Swimwear collections.  Here's a rundown of some of my favorites. Pix to follow soon.

Kooey, Lisa Blue, Aquarella, Lisa Maree...The Aussies came out in force at the Raleigh to show off their creations.  It was a wonderful, graphic display in beach fashion.  I Loved Kooey's use of their circular prints, as well as Lisa Blue's designs that incorporated the classic, Renaissance paintings.  Aquarella did a killer orange and black bandeau that showed great structure and style.

Tyler Rose designer, Nicole Carroll,  doesn't reinvent the bikini, but what she does do is reinvent what kinds of fabrics and trims that going into making the bikini.  Ms. Carroll uses materials that you wouldn't normally find in swimwear and puts it all together to make some sweet, sexy, little swimsuits that show a ton of panache.  This year was no exception...I really liked the woven ribbons used for ties, as well as the tiny, ruched bottoms and strappy details on many of her bikinis.

Watch out for Marysia Swimwear...they're doing everything right.  This season, the collection was fabulous, showing class and sophistication, as well as some inventive details such as high waists that button down low, knit fabrics, unique underwires, and breezy cover-ups.  The colors are soft and the the feminine styling is off on its own...no copycat pieces here.  I think that this was my favorite designer of the day.

~ C.

Mercedes Benz Fasion Week Swim 2011 - Let's Review

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim - Let's Review...
I would absolutely love to show you all the pix, but I’m doing it legal and waiting for permission to publish them. Until then, you’ll just have to trust me on my text depictions.

July
16th

Crystal Jin is a new line looking long, sleek, with satiny, Asian inspired fabrics. I liked this line. While maybe not earth shaking in design, the cuts looked clean, the swimsuits certainly fit the models well, and the designs were all very appealing. This is a line that is almost baked to perfection…try it now, or give it another year to mature and flourish.

OMG…watch out! Beach Bunny is going bawdy-glam again. Ya gotta love their burlesque themed bikinis with the over-the-top lingerie inspired swimsuits…lots of lace, lots of shine…lots of va-va-va-voom!

Swimwear Anywhere looks at swimsuits the way most of us should. They’re bringing purpose and practicality back to swimsuit fashion…and that’s all I’ll say about that.

17th

I love Mara Hoffman! Gawd…who doesn’t? She amazes me that she does such an excellent job with swimwear, when, in fact, she has several other divisions in her design repertoire that are equally impressive. Where does she find all that energy? As usual, Mara Hoffman Swimwear for 2011 takes the print to another level entirely and the same goes for her bodies. She's always going just to the edge, peering over, and coming back with something new for the rest of us that are not quite as brave as she. And while her models are certainly lovely, if not a bit quirky, (that right there tells you something about Ms. Hoffman,) they never upstage her designs. This season there’s lots of crisscross lattice straps, combined with her now famous Egyptian inspired prints. Strappy details, skinny pants and flowing caftans…oh my!

18th

Mr. Carter, please take a bow. Red Carter’s swimwear shows always reveal his flair for the theatric, but he also demonstrates his practical side. He has a knack of combining drama and classic wearability into all of his designs. For 2011, Red gives us some clever cut-outs, and straps going places that we never knew they could go. He also used lots of metallics, but punched it up with some eye-popping solids. I’m so glad to see that once again, his line is super strong this season. (Applause)


Cia.Maritima Swimwear is always so feminine, sexy and above all…Brazilian. It looks like a Samba sounds. This year, I instantly fell in love with the exotic butterfly prints used for the swimsuits and many of the cover-ups. I think that the line this year is just a touch more sophisticated than in the past. There was some serious thought that went into many of the cover-ups, designing them to go easily from beach to bazaar. (I especially like the long jumpsuits.) Cia.Maritima always gives us some variety, particularly with bikini bottoms that range from full coverage to miniscule backsides.

This is the second year that I’ve reviewed Caffé Swimwear. I think that they are still evolving and probably going somewhere…soon. This season there were lots of big, chunky accents, decorating a cool, summery palette. More to come on this newish label.

Tonight: Marysia, Nicolita, Tyler Rose Swimwear, An Aussie montage including Kooey, will be hitting the runways. I love all of these labels…I can hardly wait to tell you about them next time!

~ C.

Revving it Up at the Raleigh , Bass Museum & the W - Miami Swimwear Shows 2011

The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week kicked off in Miami on Thursday evening with Trina Turk opening at the Cabana Grande.  On Friday, White Sands, Beach Bunny, Dolores Cortes, Swell Suits, Ed  Hardy and Crystal Jin hit the runways at the historic Raleigh hotel.  Tonight, we're anxious to see what Mara Hoffman brings to the show, as well as Poko Pano and Aqua de Lara.  Still to come, Red Carter, Marysia, Tyler Rose, Cia.Maritima and our Aussie friends from Kooey Swimwear.  Pix to come soon!

Trina Turk Swimwear 2011 - Girly and Gossimer ...lots of cheerful, summery prints and lighter than air, shimmery cover-ups...great show, fabulous collection!
~ C.