Report from Swim Collective

Amahlia Stevens
A red suit from Vitamin A
The busy Vitamin A booth
Volcom's Mandy Fry shows a new Volcom style
Mandy Fry
A black Volcom bikini
A new style from Hurley
A Hurley top
A Hurley rash guard shown by Kristin Vohs
A Billabong bikini modeled by Olivia Karina
Some Reef marketing photos
L*Space Founder Monica Wise with model Brooke Adams

| Published Aug 12, 2013

It is all about flutter-top bikinis and business at the two-day Swim Collective Trade Show going on this week in Huntington Beach.

Monica Wise, founder of L*Space, said the brand had 60 appointments for the show, which continues today at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa.

“I’m really pleased with it,” she said.

The company met with some of its biggest customers, including Molly Brown’s Swimwear in Newport Beach and Diane’s Beachwear, which has several locations in Southern California and Arizona.

Some East Coast accounts also attended. Several retailers wanted the show to extend an extra day so they could have enough time to check out the brands, Monica said.

Most booths had a steady stream of buyers perusing the latest styles while bikini-clad models showcased the latest looks.

Sasha Hartloff, Juniors National Sales Manager for Fox Head Inc., said the show was a great place to introduce the brand’s swimsuits to new buyers.

“A lot of people don’t know we have this as a category,” she said. “It’s nice because we do get a lot of walk up traffic.”

Here’s a peek at some swim fashion trends and show highlights.

Billabong

Dori Dutton, Billabong Sales Manager, said the brand continues to grow its women’s neoprene offering, which includes neoprene shorts, wetsuits and neoprene tops. They sell for $49 to $120 and are used for surfing and paddling.

“This has been a really exciting category for us,” she said. “It started with a few pieces and we’ve grown it.”

Big trends in swimsuits include “lots of cool detailing” with beading and spaghetti straps on tops and bottoms, Dori said.

The line also includes bright colors, such as turquoise, and animal prints, including cheetah.

Volcom

Volcom is having fun using novelty fabrics, such as crochet and pucker, in its swimsuits.

Mandy Fry, the company’s VP of Women’s Sportswear, said buyers are loving solid color suits these days, including styles with fringe and straps along the back.

Volcom increased its selection of bathing suit cover-ups, because “it’s a bigger business these days,” Mandy said.

This was the brand’s first time at the Swim Collective show, and Mandy said it has been good so far.

“It’s like a little Miami Swim show on the West coast,” she said. “We needed that.”

L*Space

L*Space’s booth had a steady stream of buyers reviewing the brand’s latest looks.

Monica said the company introduced more itty-bitty bottoms at this show, and put a strong focus on reversible suits that can be worn different ways.

“Buyers are loving that,” she said.

Stores are also asking for earlier deliveries for immediate orders, Monica added.

See Page 2 for Vitamin A, Radio Fiji, Raisins, and Beach Riot

Vitamin A

Vitamin A has gotten its “best response in years” to its new line of swimsuits and beach clothing, said founder and designer Amahlia Stevens.

Biggest hits: animal print cover ups, striped bikinis and solid colored suits with the company’s EcoLux fabric, which contains recycled nylon.

Radio Fiji and Raisins

The relaunch of swimwear line Radio Fiji has buyers talking, said Design Director Daniela Mendez of New York’s Breaking Waves International, which acquired Radio Fiji and Raisins Swimwear from Quiksilver.

“Buyers have been so excited about Radio Fiji,” she said.

This is the first season Breaking Waves is showing the Radio Fiji line, which is “small and tight” but has gotten a good response, Daniela said.

A favorite: flounce swim tops, she added.

New styles for Raisins included solid bright color swim tops with printed lining and color-block patterns that can be mixed and matched.

Beach Riot

Beach Riot went with bling on its new resort swimsuit styles to lure buyers.

The “disco mermaid” collection has sequins and crochet fabric while the “vogue” collection has embellished crosses on hot pink or black one-piece suits, which sell for $248.

Designer and owner Nicole Hanriot said the brand continues to push novelty designs and embellishments, like gold coins, so people get something different when paying $140 plus for a swimsuit.

The brand also just launched sunglasses in five different styles, beach bags and woven beach towels.

Fox

Fox continues to grow its 4-year-old line of women’s swimwear, which is inspired by its line of motocross clothing.

“With each year we’re able to expand our silhouettes,” Sasha said.

The line, which includes animal prints and bright colors like mint and coral, plays up the company’s Fox head logo.

Many of the suits have a Fox cutout on the top or bottom of the bikini, where wearers can “tan your brand,” Sasha said.

“We started this last year and it went over really well,” she said.

Other popular sellers: boardshorts that look like cut-off jean shorts in cheetah print.

See Page 3 for Hurley, Reef and Oakley

Hurley and Reef

At Hurley, rashguards remain hit sellers for women who are kayaking, surfing or stand up paddling, said Kristin Vohs, Director of Sales at Raj Manufacturing.

The company makes swimwear under license for Hurley and Reef, among others. It also has its own brands.

Highlights from Hurley: ruffles on bikini tops, cover-ups and reversible swimsuits.

“It’s like two suits in one,” Kristin said.

Big hits for Reef: laser cut-outs on a ruffled bikini top, and lingerie-inspired styles.

Raj, which makes swimsuits in Tustin, also can increase production quickly if the company spots a trend and stores want more, Kristin said.