Flying Solo showcased Resort collections of over 69 designers from all over the world at La Sombra Garden in Miami Beach.
The clothing designers showcased their latest works of craftsmanship and the wearability of their fabrics.
MSW 2022 Clothing
Photos: IMAXTREE
Movement
Eleanor Quach is the founder of Movement Official, also known as Movement Swim/Movement. This is a collection of versatile swimwear, made with high quality recycled fabrics. The goal is to give women more choices both in the style that they’re allowed to wear, and the function that they have. These bathing suits are constructed in both Colombia and Indonesia, and five percent of the net profits are sent to non-profit organizations.
They are meant for young, modern women and those with a specific focus on being as environmentally friendly as possible. Not to mention those who love style. The upcoming collection was inspired by Dua Lipa, and is called LOVE. It’s been designed with sweet colors, intricate cuts, and countless details, each one made with Italian Carvico fabrics that have been made from recycled fishing nets and plastic waste. There’s a focus on curves and innovative styles, as well.
Niki Stylianou
Niki Stylianou’s designs are meant to be beautiful and creative, while allowing everyone to give their own interpretation to what fashion is meant to be. The inspirations here are wide and varied, from Greek mythology and the feminine form, to time and space. The ideal customer is meant to make a connection with the energy of the clothing. They are supposed to be able to use these pieces to further their own self expression.
The upcoming collection is not based around a specific season, but is rather meant to embody everyone and everything. Koris Epiphaneia, also known as Persephone, is dedicated to the feminine creative energy, and meant to represent both giving and receiving life. They are meant to be specific memories, and have been made with a wide range of objects, including kitchen gloves, leather, paper, price tags, and recycled plastics.
NOTUS
Marina od Q is the creator of the NOTUS swimwear brand. She was inspired during her time working in London, where she decided that she wanted to bring couture into swimwear. This line is known as evening swimwear, and they have been designed for strong and determined women, and they have been inspired by evening dresses. This inspiration has led to the inclusion of accessories and lead fringes in the clothing. It’s also environmentally friendly, made from leather and recycled nylon.
They are designed to be multi functional garments, not only for the beach, but also for the CT. They are made with high quality fabric, and are designed to last for a long time. They were designed to make all those who wear them feel like warriors, and to show the world that bathing suits can be more than just for a quick romp out to the beach.
Olly Designs
Olivia Mason is the name behind Olly Designs. A brand that is focused on bring classic silhouettes into the modern ages, using fabrics that have been picked to make sure that sweat doesn’t show. These are perfect for going out onto the town with your friends, and ensuring that you don’t have to worry about wrinkles or stains. They are designed to always leave you looking composed and put together, no matter how much you have to do each day.
Olly Design’s upcoming line is made from the same fabric, which is leathery yet soft. The product is designed to make you feel comfortable, no matter what you have to do each day. You’re supposed to be able to go out, hit the town, and know that you look good – as you know that you feel good, too. That’s this lines main goal.
OS Swim
Tayla and Alex are the Australian sisters behind OS Swim; that stands for Old School Swim, a design line that was founded in 2020. Their goal is to recreate the best of the iconic swimwear that was popular during both the eighties and the nineties. They want to create a culture where women can be confident when wearing swimwear, and know that they are both lovely and sexy.
The carefully crafted pieces of OS Swim are designed to provide leg lengthening, hip bone grazing, and cuts that are flattering no matter the shape or size of the woman wearing it. The most recent collection, Malibu Beach, features three original patterns and three different styles, each one inspired by beach films from the eighties and the nineties. These bright, colorful, and bold swimwear pieces bring that old school look into the modern day, and will fit you no matter who you are.
Paradox
Kayla is the owner and head designer of Paradox, a luxury brand that is designed to embody the duality of women, with pieces that are both powerful and elegant. These pieces inspire to create a connection between the clothing and the wearer, and allow you to reach your full potential, no matter who you are or what you’re doing. It’s meant for the subtle star, the bold girl, the silent killer, and the girl who sets the trends.
Paradox’s upcoming collection is filled with pieces that are made with soft colors that cannot be found anywhere else. These statement items are meant to give you a boost of confidence, and let you find a way to make a space in the world around you, just for you. Paradox pieces ensure that you’ll never blend in with the crowd, and that someone will always be looking your way.
Porshia
Porshia is both the designer and the brand; a high quality collection that fills the gap we’ve had in the fashion world for far too long. They are designed for women who just want to have fun with their life, who want to be able to look good even while they’re out on vacation or heading through town for brunch. It’s sleek, stylish, and all around exactly what people are looking for in the hustle and bustle of the modern era.
The upcoming collection is designed around classic silhouettes, but each piece in the line is given a twist to make it not just special but updated, and the sort of clothing you’ll want to wear no matter who you are or where you’re going. In today’s climate, it’s important to be flexible, and this line of fashion is designed to allow you to do exactly that.
preneLOVE
Teresa Brooks is the designer behind preneLOVE, a brand who has set out to go above and beyond what is already available in the marketplace. They are conscious of current trends and fashion but not afraid to do something a little bit different, and have clothing fit for everyone from the teenage crowd to those who are closer to eighty in age. They believe there Is no limit to when you should be allowed to wear something fashionable, or how good you should look.
This line is meant for the everyday woman. Their upcoming collections are focused on grit and versatility, with a heavy focus on pieces that have collars on them. They also have several bags, which are woven by hand, with neoprene. Constantly looking to engage in the trends of the day and upgrade their line, it’s no doubt that there will be something new to see soon.
Spero Sur Mer
Nadine Doctor is the owner and designer of Spero Sur Mer. As a curvy woman herself, she knows that there’s a fine line to walk with creating appealing silhouettes. Her goal is to make swimwear that fits everyone, even those that aren’t model thin. She wants to sell to the realistic vision of the American woman. This line of swimwear is truly meant for everyone.
The upcoming collection has an exciting color palette, and is made with fabrics that are designed to create avante garde silhouettes. The risque style is meant to both empower and flatter the women wearing it, enhancing your silhouette and showing off your true form in the most attractive and flattering way possible. They might be a little on the quirky side in the styling, but that was done to provide even more of a connection with the women that it was designed for.
The Menz
Tyra ‘Jiggie’ Orr is the designer and founder of The Menz. They were inspired to create a line of fashion that is meant to give those wearing it a confidence boost, and a way to step into their real self. They are perfect for those who go out into social situations on the regular, or anyone who is looking to show a little bit of skin and make a big statement.
The upcoming collection of The Menz is focused on the versatility of the outfits. These pieces have been designed to be worn outside – or in an intimate setting. In fact, some of the pieces in the upcoming line of the Menz can even double as a swim suit! The point is to let you find something that speaks to your heart and your inner spark, and to ensure that you’re able to do so without stress, hassle, or fuss.
Those Seen Dancing
Keari Shibya is the founder and designer of Those Seen Dancing. This is a line of swimwear from a boutique in Hawaii, which has been built on three core values: a sun loving style, authenticity, and sustainability. This means that they have been designed to let you feel the sun on your skin, to let you get more than just a garment that is a dime a dozen, and to be sustainable and Eco friendly.
Those Seen Dancing’s upcoming collection is the most impressive yet. It has focused on elevated swim staples, which are essential pieces that have been up lifted into a totally new era, with new prints that have been designed to embody tropical destinations, such as the new Shell Ginger print, which was a collaboration with Lisa Miyagi, and is meant to represent both Hawaii and Bali.
Top Knot Swim
Nadia Weeks was inspired to start Top Knot Swim by her frequent trips to the beach, and the way that she wore her hair when she was swimming – up in a top knot. Her line of swimwear is designed for the girl who is always on the beach, and loves to go out with a paddle board – but who wants to be fashionable while she’s there. They are meant to bring in the bright colors common in Hawaii, no matter where in the world you’ve gone for a swim.
The upcoming collection is called New Moon, and as the name might imply, it has been heavily inspired by the beach at night; by the vivid colors that are caught in the moonlight shining on the plan of water, and by the expanse of silver stars. It’s also been inspired by the fashion of the early 2000s, which helps bring these styles into a new, modern era.
Towers Swimwear
Sara Torres is the owner and designer behind Towers Swimwear. She has been designing since she was fourteen, and has continued to bring that inspiration from her childhood into the current era, allowing it to elevate her designs into something that the unique, modern woman will be more than happy to wear. This line of swimwear isn’t afraid to be unique, and doesn’t care what other people might think about it.
The upcoming collection is a psychedelic collection that focuses on representing a good trip to a fun, positive, and peaceful place. These trippy paths featured on the swimwear are meant to let you find a new era of personal growth, and ensure that you’re able to find exactly the piece that you want to be wearing, no matter what your personal style might end up being.
Tribal Eyes
Ana is the owner and designer behind Tribal Eyes, a line of fashion that was inspired by the lack of diversity in the structure and design of iOS and a desire to update the design of iOS into something that is more interesting to those of the modern era. Tribal Eyes has been designed for anyone who is unafraid of color, and helps to embody the soul of the young, traveling fashionista.
The upcoming Tribal Eyes collection is especially unapologetic, and shows that Ana knows exactly what the modern woman wants brought to the table, and what the modern woman wants to wear. These bold styles will focus on structure and design, and can elevate anything, anyone, and every trip that you take to a completely new standard. Just like Tribal Eyes new collection is unapologetic, so too is Ana – unapologetic for breaking boundaries, and excited to break even more of them.
Turk & Turk
Ilkay Turk is the designer, the artist, and the founder of Turk and Turk, along with her husband, Rasit Turk, who serves as a co founder and co designer. This is a luxurious, high end apparel and accessories line, which is meant to blur the line between works of art and pieces of wearable fashion. They have a stand out reputation for their designs, which are known for being elegant, and made from a high end luxury material that has been sourced in Italy and Turkey.
Turk and Turk designs for those who have a unique sense of fashion, and who are looking to be uplifted by what they’re wearing. The newest collection is made to embody dedication, creativity, imagination, and the ability to believe in yourself, and this is done through the customization aspect that is allowed for each piece of clothing in the line.
Vestitoperte
Anna Paola Gomez is the founder and artist behind the brand Vestitoperte. She was inspired by her trips to Milan, Marangoni, and Paris, something that shows in the outfits that she has so far put out. Her clothing is designed for a younger audience, and for the women that are looking to make a statement in the world. These are for the woman who is still out and about on the town.
Vestitoperte’s recently presented collection has been inspired by the leopard, and by the concept of embracing ones curves. Popular Brazilian fabrics have been taken and woven into Brazilian bikinis, which have been designed to embrace and enhance your curves, and allow those wearing it to feel like a truly sexy woman. The goal is to allow those who are wearing these Brazilian bikinis to be as fierce, lithe, and powerful as the leopards that have inspired the designs in the first place.
Wacay
Founded by Gift and Grace Hosajakul, Wacay is a modern vintage collection, meant to be vacation wear that was inspired by Bangkok, Thailand. Each piece of clothing in this line has been made from genuinely crafted signature fabrics. The mission of Wacay is to empower women through the designs that they were, and to allow their clothing to embody the distinctive styles of an individual, bold and self respecting in fashion.
Wacay’s summer collection features various distinctive colors and unique monogram prints. The clothing is meant to create a blend of comfort and fun, perfect for summer vacation. They have been designed with the intention of wearing during the heat of summer. This new collection is also going to be the first time that they launch swimwear, which has been made in a simple shape, yet with unique and interesting design details.
Wat If
Wat If is an Eco sustainable swimwear brand, which has been made from scrap fabrics, fishing nets, and plastic that was found in the ocean. The goal of Wat If is to give a second life to the items that have been polluting the ocean, and to allow it to be done in a fashion that will uplift everyone that is wearing it. Every Wat If item is produced in Italy, and is handmade. This gives them an authentic Italian artisan quality, and allows a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.
They are meant for the wild, sporty, and adventurous woman; for women that aren’t afraid to be daring and try new things in what they wear. Their new line is an experimentation of textures and colors, which have been dictated by new horizons. Each piece is meant to adapt to different bodies, and embrace femininity.
Yubehandmade
Rose Marie is the owner and designer of the brand Yubehandmade. She was inspired by her original crochet designs, and by the concept of on the fly girls. Yubehandmade is meant to fit anyone that is hoping to look cute for their vacation or other trip, and can fit every occasion from photo shoots to happening parties.
Yubehandmade’s upcoming collection doesn’t just feature bikinis. It also focuses on the concept of resort fashion. This means that it is bringing glitz, glamour, and color into an already happening and stylish line of clothing, with the goal of making swimwear that everyone is going to want to wear.
ARION
Nika Grady, a 26-year-old designer from New Orleans, moved to Texas after Hurricane Katrina and started her brand while finishing her senior year of college. She would go to pool parties, and all the girls would wear the same swimsuits. She wanted to wear something that nobody else was, so she browsed YouTube to figure out how to sew a bikini.
Later that night, she went to a pool party and was met with many questions about her swimsuit. From there, she started making bikinis for other girls and launched her brand Arion in 2013 while in college.
Starting out, her ideal customers were college-aged girls. However, that has now shifted to all confident, sexy women who are not afraid of being the center of attention. Nika advises fashion newcomers to be confident in their abilities and true to their brand’s vision.
Anastacia
28 year old Carolina Zimmer is the Brazilian Creative Director and founder of Anastacia Lingerie & Beachwear. She is a graduate in Fashion Design with a Master’s degree in Fashion Business, and started her brand in 2017 as part of her capstone Project, which came true for sale in 2018.
Anastacia Lingerie’s upcoming collection boasts handmade embroidery, the application of different materials, strappy references and 24k gold plated details.
Carolina noticed a gap in the market for underwear and beachwear for women with curves, so she committed to serving all women and all bodies with her brand.
Carolina was born to make a difference and bring love to women, so her business advice to hold onto resilience, patience and creativity rings home for all fashion entrepreneurs.
In her own words, “Be honest and do your job, just be yourself, persist, and in the end, your dreams will come true.”
Audrey Monae
Audrey Monae’s self-named swimwear brand was inspired by the many students and entrepreneurs surrounding her, and various areas of history and culture. Monet’s ideal customer is the driven, independent woman which is unique in their thinking and their fashion.
Monet is excited for the future of her brand, expanding to new choices of novelty fabrics like denim, different colorways and always striving for high quality.
When it comes to entrepreneurship, Monae stresses the importance of having patience, optimism and faith, and ensuring you stand out in what is a highly competitive industry. Moreover, she advises that you start sooner rather than later, and avoid procrastinating making your dreams a reality.
For those wanting to start a fashion brand, Monet’s advice is: just go for it, and don’t hold back.
bēchë
bēchë was created by Cyprianna Jackson, to pay homage to her home country, the beautiful islands of Turks and Caicos. Through vibrant prints and storytelling, bēchë offers an exclusive collection of swimwear inspired by the absence of a locally curated swim line in the TCI and the country’s dwindling cultural presence.
At bēchë, environmental consciousness and philanthropy are priorities, without compromising on stunning designs for their curious and confident wanderlust customers. Their upcoming collection, “Maskanoo”, represents this, inspired by one of Turks and Caicos’ largest cultural events. The collection boasts vibrant colors, sexy and classy cuts, with the limited edition Maskanoo inspired print.
Cyprianna believes all fashion entrepreneurs need the ability to stay motivated long-term, creativity that makes them unique, and confidence in themselves and their brand, and says, “the perfect time is now.”
Eletros Swim
Greek-Canadian, Christina Rakitzis recognized a gap in the North American market for authentic, creative and luxury swimwear designs, and launched Eletros Swim to disrupt the market with a piece of Greece in every swimsuit.
Eletros Swim was designed for women who love to travel and seek uniqueness, appreciating high quality and luxury fabrics as they only want what is best on their body.
The brand’s latest Thiliko collection is special because of its meaning – ‘feminine and natural’ in Greek. This was brought to life using muted colors and incorporating a motherly, hugging feeling through the bathing suits that have no padding or wiring. This emphasizes the natural beauty of the body, encouraging the wearer to feel confident with support from the bathing suit.
Christina advises fashion entrepreneurs to pay attention to detail, be adaptable and understand that perseverance is key. Finally, she encourages entrepreneurs to be kind to themselves.
Geometrix Fashion Hut
Mansi Amin Modi is the founder and designer of Geometrix Fashion Hut, specializing in haute couture. Her focus is on custom wear designer pieces but her brand also releases ready to wear collection pieces thrice a year.
Mansi’s primary focus for her fashion brand was to give customers the option of custom clothing based on their budget, from designing sketches to selecting fabrics and more. Her brand’s ideal customer is every woman, but her average customer ranges from the ages of 25 to 45.
The highlight of her upcoming collection are the black and white looks. The monochrome color palette is a constant in the seasonal fashion cycle, so Mansi seeks to provide timeless, ageless, seasonless and versatile pieces for her customers’ wardrobes.
When advising fashion entrepreneurs, Mansi discusses the importance of having an artistic ability, great communication skills, and a strong sewing ability. Finally, she stresses, ‘have fun!’
Imperial Legacy
Imperial Legacy Clothing is a black-owned business dedicated to creating cutting-edge designs for a new age of style. Exposed to fashion at a young age, siblings Kobrio Marcus (creative) and Faith (business) created a unique brand that inspires a wide range of customers. The siblings are focused on designing wearable art—clothing that tells its own story—and creating a community of open-minded fashion lovers.
Imperial Legacy’s upcoming collection features the brand’s most popular prints with an added resort collection. The company has not released a resort collection in quite some time, and they’re hoping the new designs will be exciting for long-time wearers of the brand while also introducing new customers.
Advising aspiring fashion entrepreneurs, Kobrio Marcus and Faith believe new designers must have willpower, determination, and perseverance. From their experience, putting in hours of research and planning builds a solid foundation for a brand and leads to success.
inBodi Swim
inBodi Swim was created upon the principle that every woman’s beauty is her own. FIT NYC college roommates, Daniela Schiliro and Heather Kamback always shared a love for fashion and the beach and dreamed of creating their own swimwear lines. During the start of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the two reconnected and decided to build a luxe, ethical swimwear brand that connects and empowers women from all over the world.
Each of the inBodi Swim collections is inspired by a different place the owners have visited. Using colors and textures inspired by the environments and cultures they’ve experienced, Daniela and Heather create collections that embody the unique beauty of different women in the world. Their most recent collection, the Keys Collection, was inspired by the Florida Keys. Focused on sharing positivity with customers, the designers decided on bold and refreshing colors to brighten up Summer ’22 after a few dark years.
Isyss Swim
Created in 2020 by Egyptian Prater, Isyss Swim is a custom-made swimwear brand designed with customers’ unique needs in mind. Each custom design is made to make each buyer feel and look beautiful. The owner was inspired to start the brand to fill a hole in the swimwear market. Seeing a lack of African-American designers, Egyptian started testing out her skills and found her gift in designing creative swimsuits.
Isyss Swim’s upcoming collection features newly designed one-piece crossover mesh swimsuits, in either pink or metallic blue. Created for customers who like customized swim pieces and trying new designs, Isyss Swim’s pieces are perfect to try on vacation or at pools.
For Egyptian, ambition, strength, and creativity are crucial skills needed to build a fashion brand. She advises aspiring designers to never give up and network. With positivity, faith, and God, she believes the rest will all fall into place.
Lina Swimwear
FIT graduate Paulina Rydel founded Lina Swimwear in 2020 to offer a place to buy handmade bikini pieces. Paulina believes it is important for women to feel confident and comfortable in their bodies, and all of her designs are made with women’s unique beauty and shapes in mind.
Lina Swimwear’s upcoming collection features a wide range of colors, from darks to pastels. The pieces give off a fresh and youthful look that is sure to make wearers look stunning and happy. These sexy pieces are perfect for tanning and emphasize the natural curves of every type of body shape.
Paulina believes the secret to success in the fashion industry is to have faith in yourself and have a clear, defined brand style. She encourages inspiring fashion entrepreneurs to just take the leap, even if they feel they’re not ready, and start designing today.
Little Croissants
Born in Paris to a fashion designer mom, the Little Croissants Swim founder has always had a taste for fashion. In 2017, after watching YSL’s autobiographical movie, she was inspired by how he changed women’s social position through fashion. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she decided to finally take the leap herself and launch Little Croissants Swim, a brand that offers women swimwear with unique designs, impeccable cuts, rich colors, and high-quality fabrics.
The brand’s purpose is simple: Give every single woman the confidence, independence, and power they are meant to have. Her upcoming collection, also inspired by YSL, is meant to make the beach a stage where every woman will not only be seen but, more importantly, heard.
The Little Croissants Swim’s success shows that persistence, multi-tasking, and attention to detail are important skills to have when creating a fashion brand. Most importantly, one must have a purpose and work hard to achieve it.
Love Desires
Born in Nebraska and raised in Las Vegas, Taylor Gibson founded Love Desires Lingerie to empower women of all shapes and sizes. While not initially thinking of starting a lingerie brand, Taylor realized that a good night’s sleep in a silk robe or dress is the ultimate luxurious experience and pivoted her designs to focus on these moments.
Love Desires’s upcoming collection is exclusive for Miami Swim Week and features more eye-catching pieces compared to the regular collection. Most of the collection features one-of-a-kind designs, but Taylor does plan to launch a few pieces online that weren’t chosen for the runway. The goal of the brand is to make women feel like a million dollars.
To aspiring fashion designers, Taylor warns that nothing comes easy. It is important to stay persistent and have good time management to stay on top of designs and make meaningful connections in the industry.
Luis Aponte
Luis Aponte was born in Puerto Rico and currently is based in Miami. Originally in school for medicine, Luis found himself watching Project Runway one night, which ignited a passion in him to design his own clothes. After taking sewing classes and learning to design, he debuted his line in 2014 during Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week with a capsule collection of six looks consisting of interchangeable pieces.
Luis’s upcoming collection represents the evolution of his career. He rebranded his clothing line to focus on men, and his first total menswear collection will be shown on the runway. This collection pays homage to Miami with Art Deco references and a color palette inspired by the city’s vibrant architecture. With curved style lines, locally sourced linens and laces, soft and breezy chiffons, and sensual textures, this collection shows Luis’s ability to adapt and persist to create a truly unique brand.
Madeline Cary
Madeline Cary Davidson, of Madeline Cary, started her brand simply to create a solution to a problem she struggles with daily. Being part of the autoimmune disease community, a lot of her designs are meant to create simple, easy ways to organize and live an organic lifestyle and help alleviate pain for patients suffering from chronic disease. With her designs, Madeline wants to educate and encourage her community to take care of themselves and live freely.
Her newest collection has a lot of vibrancy, with modern, edgy, and futuristic elements. Madeline Cline’s brand appeals to hip and modern customers who are full of life and happy-go-lucky. Taking from her own experiences, Madeline believes grit and passion are necessary for fashion entrepreneurs. And to find customers that truly align with your business goals, it is important that entrepreneurs be themselves and not criticize or overthink their designs and ideas.
Mamie Ruth
Inspired by the ’60s and ’70s festival scene, Emily Bargeron’s creation of Mamie Ruth happened purely out of a passion for fashion. The designer started making her own clothes to wear to festivals and shows. Catching the eyes of other attendees, Emily soon started selling her designs and even making special orders for customers.
Mamie Ruthe’s upcoming collection focuses on one-of-a-kind items and pieces that embody the brand as a whole. The typical customer likes to stand out in a crowd, is free-spirited, likes to travel, loves culture, loves music, loves to dance, loves meeting people in public, and is all-around outgoing. The brand’s eye-catching colors and bold prints are sure to be perfect for the next music festival.
For those looking to start their own business, Emily encourages them to just do it. Additionally, some 3-D skills, dedication, and hustle also help build a brand into an empire.
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With love,
FWO
