Black-Owned Swimwear Brands to Support This Summer
Summer is here and it’s important for every woman to feel beautiful in their own skin. Support these amazing companies that offer some beautiful swimwear pieces that will leave you feeling confident and vibrant.
Want to look and feel your best this summer? Here are some great black-owned companies to make sure you are hot and ready for summer. All made by talented and gorgeous African American women.
Castamira Swim:
Founded by former model Chantel Davis, Castamira was made to magnify the beauty of your body. There are a large amount of one pieces, but there are plenty of two pieces as well. Made to fit your body like a glove and leave you looking fabulous.
Gia $198
Asherah Swimwear:
This collection is made to let your confidence radiate through you. Inspired by summer, designer Cheryl “Cejae” Jones creates a line that fits a woman's natural curve along with one-of-a-kind prints. Her collections set her apart from other collections and bring out a new idea of sexy to enjoy your summer the right way while looking good.
HENNA BIKINI COLORSCAPE FULL TOP: $105 BOTTOM $120
Xhaleswim:
Professional model, owner and designer Jessica Lee Wong is the founder of this handmade swimwear collection. This swimwear company is one of the best because of its variety of choices. They have pieces that are daring and sexy and some that are more modest yet still beautiful.
XhaleSugar Neon Yellow $95
MBM Swim:
Designer Marcia B. Maxwell’s pieces scream elegance. With her combination of clean cut lines and silhouettes, her suits are all about sophistication. Just like MBM Swim’s page says, “Swimwear for sophisticated women who never ask for attention, they command it.”
Discovery $140
Sixtwentyone Swim:
Afro-Caribbean swimwear made in Jamaica and inspired by its culture by founder Christie Harridon. Each and every swimsuit has beautiful intricate and unique designs, such as bright colors, animal print and more.
The Peak Monokini $68
Support these companies and look good while doing it. Happy summer!
Photo Credits: Pinterest
Report: Melissa Adragna
Bathing Suit Trends
Are you trying to look trendy at the beach and pool this summer?
Are you trying to look trendy at the beach and pool this summer? I got you! Bathing suits are very hot on the market right now for obvious reasons. Some people struggle with finding the right ones for themselves; I know I do all the time. The goal is not just to feel physically confident, but emotionally confident as well. This summer, nothing is standing in our way from achieving that. I know I get immensely insecure about my stomach when I head to the beach. However, I try to find bathing suits that make me feel beautiful inside and out but are still trendy.
One of the trendiest bathing suits that you could get right now is high waisted bottoms, which I'm obsessed with. It just covers all the right places for me. If you're feeling bloated that day, you won't have to worry about it! It looks beautiful on all body types and I see girls everywhere wearing them. There are so many pretty patterns that you could get them in. Tie-dye and animal print are two that I wear all the time. You can get a strapless top to match, so when you tan, you won't get awkward tan lines! It creates a perfect combination.
Another one is a one-piece! They are incredibly chic and so stylish right now. You can get ones with slits or ones that cover up more. There's a lot of different options and I love it! They come in so many different colors. I have two in black and one in light pink. It's a great suit to wear for a beautiful pool day. You can find reasonable priced bathing suits at Target, Kohls or Amazon! No matter what bathing suit you decide to wear, you are going to rock it! Strut your stuff, girl.
*Photo credits to Target and Kohls website*
Report: Anna Levitus
Take a Walk on the Wild Side
Woman-owned. Sustainable. Stylish. A triple threat in any industry. These characteristics serve as a description of Avid Swim.
Woman-owned. Sustainable. Stylish. A triple threat in any industry. These characteristics serve as a description of the company Avid Swim- a luxury swimwear brand that is committed to designing sustainable and eco-friendly products. Their latest project titled “The Wild Escape” includes some of their most exciting and exotic styles to date.
Owner Gionna Nicole has mastered the combination of elegance and simplicity in her designs. Each piece is crafted with sustainable fabric, low impact dyes, heart, and soul. Avid Swim’s products are especially unique because of the effort being made during their production to reduce the carbon footprint. In addition, each piece is sold in a reusable bag in contribution to the effort of keeping plastic out of our oceans. The ability to mix and match different pieces also offers an extended lifestyle for every product.
Specifically, “The Wild Escape” collection allows customers to, as they say, take a walk on the wild side. Featuring classic animal prints such as leopard and zebra, leaf and floral inspired prints, these items are sure to give off a tropical summer vibe. These new designs are offered in classic bikini silhouettes such as triangle tops and string bottoms, as well as one pieces and cover ups. Similar to most items sold by Avid Swim, the items featured in The Wild Escape collection are interchangeable, offering a wide variety of combinations, making each one uniquely yours.
Avid Swim not only accomplishes luxury, sustainability, and being economically friendly, the brand also stands for inclusivity. The male and female models and ambassadors the brand has chosen to represent them are all uniquely beautiful, and do not exemplify just one single ethnicity or nationality. Different skin tones, different body shapes and curves, but all on behalf of one brand and one cohesive message.
If you’re looking for your new go-to swimwear spot, this is it. Avid Swim offers the whole package and then some.
All photo credit can be attributed to Avid Swim's website.
Report: Alexandra Donnelly
Shopping For New Swimsuits? These Black-Owned Brands Have You Covered
If you're on the hunt for a new swimsuit this summer, these Black-owned swimwear brands have you covered.
If you're on the hunt for a new swimsuit this summer, these Black-owned swimwear brands have you covered. Each one has its own unique aesthetic and a background story worth celebrating, all of which you'll learn about ahead. From Andrea Iyamah's artistic, statement-making bikinis to MissesBrie's curve-flattering one-pieces, there's something for everyone, no matter what your summer style may be.
EgoSwim was launched by a group of friends who share a mutual love of shopping for sexy yet comfortable swimwear. The brand's collection includes sleeved one-pieces, a bandeau-style bikini top, and a one-piece that ties up the sides. Inspired by African culture, BFyne's swimsuits are a print-lover's dream come true. Nigerian-American designer and founder Buki Ade has created bold pieces featured on the pages of Vogue, Glamour, and Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue. Jamaica-born model Chantel Davis founded Castamira with a desire to create one-pieces that fit like a glove and use eco-friendly, body-conscious fabrics.
Mint Swim has perfected the art of the classic string bikini. Founded by actress and entrepreneur Draya Michele in 2011, the brand also offers gorgeous one-pieces and scoop-neck bikini tops, in addition to beachy coverups. Melissa Simone Gardner's eponymous brand is like a one-stop shop for all your trendy swimwear needs. It's easy to see why celebs like Sofia Richie, Bella Hadid, Karrueche Tran, and Kylie Jenner regularly rep Melissa Simone.
Model, blogger, and designer Brielle Anyea created MissesBrie for "women that take risks and the ones that break rules made to silence them." No matter what your swimsuit style may be, you're sure to find a curve-flattering design that makes you feel confident AF on her site. All MissesBrie suits come in sizes XS-4X. Andrea Iyamah swimsuits are works of art. Nigerian fashion designer Dumebi Iyamah founded the brand at age 17, and she uses colorful, innovative designs to create her one-of-a-kind, flawlessly tailored pieces. Many of the designs are available in sizes XS-XXXL.
All of Jade Swim's pieces are simple and minimalist without being basic. Founded by former fashion editor and stylist Brittany Kozerski Freeney, the brand sells tons of flattering bikinis and one-pieces made with sustainable fabrics in a range of rich hues. All of Jade Swim's pieces are simple and minimalist without being basic. Founded by former fashion editor and stylist Brittany Kozerski Freeney, the brand sells tons of flattering bikinis and one-pieces made with sustainable fabrics in a range of rich hues. Supermodel Liya Kebede was inspired to start Lemlem after a trip to her native Ethiopia, during which she met a group of talented weavers with a diminishing market for their handiwork. She now employs those weavers to create each piece by hand in Africa, using natural cotton to make beautiful patterned designs.
Keva Johnson's eponymous brand promises "unique styles with an impeccable fit," and she delivers on that promise. She offers an impressively wide range of swimwear, from high-waist bikinis and neon cutout monokinis to printed two-pieces with straps galore.
Report: Amanda T Lou
At the rise of Covid-19 many of us first questioned the timeline of fashion week and would we see the regular calendar continue - the question weighed over many of us for months! It was refreshing to see design houses and designers across the globe take advantage of the uncertainty and plow into production mode - thus my interest in Jerri Reid New York - The Black Designer based in Brooklyn New York wow’d instagram with his latest collection paying homage to the Black Is King film which debuted earlier this year in July. I was taken aback at quick of a turn round the young designer produced and released his well crafted designs reflecting some of the films most memorable moments.