Only 1 in 1,000 sea turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood. In an effort to save the hatchlings, ECO SWIM by Aqua Green—a SWIM USA company of sustainable swimwear, crafted from eco-friendly materials—teamed up with retailer ziggie and the Endangered Species Coalition to raise money to assist in this worthwhile mission. A percentage of ECO SWIM sales on ziggie.com from July 11-17 were donated to the cause, helping to carry out sea turtle protection and recovery programs, as well as support free educational training and restoration of nesting habitats.

“We are proud to partner with companies like ziggie, who promote ethical brands and support environmental causes,” said Sandra Davidoff, director of corporate marketing and public relations at SWIM USA. “We are thrilled to have been able to help in this initiative.”

The swimwear company has also worked with other retail partners and community volunteers to rid beaches and waterways across the country of more than 5 tons of trash and debris.

ECO SWIM by Aqua Green, whose mission is to help make the world a cleaner and safer environment for future generations, represents quality fashion that can make a difference. For more information, visit ecoswim.com.

The Beach People Partner with The Great Barrier Reef Foundation

Sisters Emma Henderson and Victoria Beattie were born to beach. Having grown up around and on the sea in New South Wales, Australia, and inspired by their seaside lifestyle, they channeled their passion for creating beautiful products and founded The Beach People in 2013.

Their first product—round towels—sold out in just weeks of the company’s inception. Since then the line has evolved into collections for bedding, bath and beach. Products—which include beach bags and totes, cushions, towels, beach bundles (towels with complementing bags), towel carriers, beach carts, kids’ offerings and tableware—are made of the finest materials and built to last.

The Beach People has partnered with The Great Barrier Reef Foundation to help preserve the world’s largest coral reef system made by living organisms. Through this partnership, the company donates $5 from the sale of every original jute bag to The Great Barrier Reef Foundation, the only charity in the world dedicated to exclusively protecting the Great Barrier Reef through raising funds for scientific research. The Beach People also hosts global Beach Clean Up days. For more information, visit thebeachpeopleco.com.

The industry’s largest event makes some important shifts for Season 2019

By Lori Riviere

Miami Swim Week is the largest swim and resortwear event globally that combines a market week and runway shows. Brands, buyers, media and influencers come from all over the globe to mix, mingle and do business.
This year Swim Week will be held from July 12-17, 2018.

Trade Shows

The three trade shows—SwimShow, Hammock and Cabana—will all be back this season. As usual, SwimShow will be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, and Cabana will take place in the long white tents across from Collins Park in Miami Beach. However, the big news for Swim Week Miami is that Hammock has moved. The show has relocated to the 1 Hotel South Beach at 2341 Collins Avenue. Hammock will continue to feature a mix of individual suites for brands that want to create their own intimate environment, plus more traditional booth spaces in the large hotel ballroom. According to the show producers, the move was prompted by a desire to accommodate more exhibitors in a more spacious layout, providing buyers easier logistics and quick access between the individual rooms and the main show floor. The private suites will be adjacent to the ballroom, just a half-floor up.

Runway Platforms

When IMG left, the vendors they had used to produce their event formed SWIMMIAMI, which—along with Funkshion—served the needs of designers wanting runway shows for the last three years. In other big news, SWIMMIAMI has decided to take a year off to regroup and re-analyze the needs of Swim Week. Therefore, they will not be hosting any runway shows this season.

Long before SWIMMIAMI’s announcement of its hiatus, a new event was being planned that could take Miami Swim Week to a whole new level. For Season 2019, Funkshion is being rebranded as PARAISO and is now the predominant producer of runway shows for the week. PARAISO, which will run July 12-16, will hold runway shows in a large tent in Collins Park—across the street from Cabana, catty-corner to Hammock and just blocks from Swim Show. They will also host some very Instagrammable fashion shows, with runways built over the pools at The Setai and Nautilus South Beach hotels. The Setai is next door to the Cabana tent, and Nautilus is two properties down. PARAISO producers plan to hold buyer/media events at the W South Beach.

Another popular runway platform, Art Hearts Fashion, will have shows at the ultra-chic Faena Forum, July 11-16. Their runway show format will now feature three shows back-to-back rather than one at a time, thereby making better use of attendees’ time. Michael Costello is confirmed to be one of a host of designers showing their collections with Art Hearts. A unique highlight will be the Saks Fifth Avenue Designer show.

Fashion Palette’s Australian Group Showcase is making its Swim Week debut at The Setai. The producers of Fashion Palette have been bringing Australian designers together to showcase their collections during New York’s Fashion Week for years. This season, they have decided to bring the incredibly popular show to Miami Swim Week. At press time, the final roster of designers had not been announced for this show, but the producers have confirmed that VDM The Label, TJ Swim, Frankie Swimwear and Lil & Emm are scheduled to showcase collections.

Tips for Surviving Swim Week

The Swim Week calendar always firms up at the last minute as far as parties, events and runway shows, but you can expect to see a lot more this season, including many that will be behind the scenes and not on the main calendar.

There is so much to see and do during Swim Week that it is hard to pack it all in. We recommend creating a schedule, blocking out times for trade show appointments, fashion shows and events.

Be sure to leave some open time to discover new brands, and check out some of the daytime events. Often some of the day events can give you ideas you might be able to implement or adapt for your customers. For evening shows, pick your top three shows to see that are at least an hour apart on the schedule and stick to those. Keep in mind there are often delays of around 30 minutes for runway shows, and traffic in Miami Beach can make what would seem like a 5-minute trip take much longer. Above all, enjoy the week and use the opportunity to introduce yourself to someone new, discover a new brand, or take a selfie with your favorite celebrity or influencer.

Swim Week hasn’t seen this many location and formatting changes since IMG left the market four years ago, so it will be interesting to see how things run this season.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lori Riviere is the owner of The Riviere Agency, a fashion public relations and creative agency. The Riviere Agency has offices in Miami and New York, and offers services to fashion clients that range from photo-shoot production, to public relations and blogger and influencer outreach. The agency has developed a particular specialty in the swimwear industry, working with more than 50 swim and resortwear brands, ranging from major established labels to start-ups.

trade shows • launches • people • celebrations

Snapper Rock and Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation Partner for 15th Anniversaries

In celebration of their 15th anniversaries, Snapper Rock—the award-winning family swimwear brand with UPF50+ protection—and the Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation have partnered to promote sun safety and have created a limited-edition children’s flap hat in honor of the occasion. “We are thrilled to be partnering with the Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation to help educate families about sun safety,” said Snapper Rock founder Liz Eglinton. “Our organizations were built on promoting a sun-safe lifestyle and creating awareness on the adverse effects of excessive sunlight exposure.”

During Skin Cancer Awareness Month in May, Snapper Rock donated 5 percent of its sales to the Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation. In addition, for all kids’ apparel purchases online this July, customers will receive a complimentary children’s flap hat, which features both companies’ logos and the words “Celebrating 15 Years of Keeping Children Sun Safe.” Snapper Rock’s 15th anniversary celebration will also include several special events, design collaborations and special prints. For more information on Snapper Rock’s swimwear collections, visit snapperrock.com and srswim.com. To learn more about the Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation, visit melanomaprevention.org.

Manhattan Beachwear Announces New Global Partnership

One of the largest swimwear manufacturers in the U.S.—Manhattan Beachwear—has formed a new global partnership with BCBG Group.

With its expertise and long-standing success in the swimwear industry, the Manhattan Beachwear team will collaborate on the design and distribution of the sought-after labels. The plan is to craft the collection with styles that illustrate the modern and romantic style that is BCBG.

“We are pleased and excited to enter into a partnership with Marquee Brands,” explained Kevin F. Mahoney, president and CEO of Manhattan Beachwear. “Having world-class brands in BCBGMAXAZRIA and BCBGeneration added to our stable of blue-chip swimwear brands is very complementary to our strategic goals.”

Look for BCBGMAXAZRIA and BCBGeneration women’s collections to launch globally this fall. For more information, visit mbwswim.com.

New Website OFFPRICE365 Offers Retailers a Convenient Online Marketplace

The OFFPRICE Show has launched a convenient online marketplace for retailers featuring a variety of merchandise, including swimwear, cover-ups and beach-oriented accessories. OFFPRICE365, which launched following the February edition of the OFFPRICE Show in Las Vegas, offers seasonal retailers a resource for purchasing quick fill-ins and summer closeouts for their stores in a range of categories, including apparel, accessories and footwear. “The nature of the off-price sector is ever-changing and fast-paced,” said Stephen Krogulski, CEO of the OFFPRICE Show. “OFFPRICE365 enhances the market with more buying opportunities. Through our online marketplace, retailers can meet new vendors and view their merchandise from the convenience of their smartphone or laptop, year-round.”

The OFFPRICE Show has approved all vendors on the website, so buyers can shop for their merchandise worry-free. The website allows users to send messages directly to vendors, to inquire about product details, shipping and more. For more information, visit offprice365.com. For details about the upcoming edition of the OFFPRICE Show in Las Vegas (Aug. 11-14), visit offpriceshow.com.

More Exhibitors and Attendees Help Make Interfilière Hong Kong a Success

The 12th edition of Interfilière Hong Kong, held March 27-28 at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, showcased the latest innovations and materials in the world of bodywear with its curated selection of premium exhibitors. The trade show, which is organized by Eurovet Asia, grew substantially, welcoming 1,600 visitors and 75 exhibiting companies. Fifty percent of the visitors hailed from Hong Kong, followed by Mainland China (34 percent), the rest of Asia (9 percent) and various countries around the world (7 percent). Attendees were able to shop from a range of high-quality materials and technology, including velvet lace; natural, sustainable and super technical laces; elastics with unique effects; and a new generation of silicone pads. The show offered material sourcing, technical solutions and inspiration, as well as seminars focusing on the economic and retail market, sustainability, trend forecasting and activewear. Highlights of Interfilière Hong Kong included several special areas, including The Gallery, a new area featuring 428 of the highest-quality product samples; The Creativ’ Lab, which revealed the color moods for upcoming seasons and focused on the state of the environment; and The Studio, where technical solutions, unique processes and cutting-edge materials were presented. For more information, visit eurovet.com.

Hung Yen Introduces New Sustainable Fabric Collection

Vietnam-based Hung Yen Knitting and Dyeing Co. Ltd has launched an exciting new sustainable fabric collection for 2019-2020 featuring the new YORI REC fabric. The next-generation fabric is made with recycled polyester and creora® highclo™ super chlorine-resistant spandex. “There is definitely more interest in sustainability for swimwear and sportswear from eco-conscious consumers,” said Claudia Anselmi, CEO of Hung Yen K&D, who explained that the eco-friendly YORI REC fabric was developed for lasting fit. “It is ideal for brands/retailers that want to offer consumer confidence while causing minimal impact to the environment. Our goal is to convert all our polyester fabric collection into sustainable fabrics made with recycled polyester within the next year.” Hung Yen Knitting and Dyeing Co. Ltd is an Italian-owned, vertically integrated, warp-knitting company that delivers high-quality technical performance fabrics in fashion-forward colors for swimwear and sportswear. Its latest development featuring YORI REC will offer fashion and fit along with sustainable performance, comfort and shape retention. For more information, visit hungyen-kd.com.

Salt Life to Debut Ladies’ Swimwear Line at SwimShow 2018

Columbus, Ga.-based Salt Life will debut its ladies’ swimwear line, created in partnership with SwimUSA, at the 36th Annual SwimShow, taking place July 14-17 in Miami Beach, Fla. It is the latest addition to the expanding lifestyle brand, which includes men’s swimwear as well as ladies’, men’s and children’s apparel, headwear and accessories. “It is the perfect time to expand our line to include ladies’ swimwear,” said Jeff Stillwell, president of Salt Life. “Salt Life is experiencing huge growth as we continue to expand our footprint from coast to coast. We also are seeing online sales skyrocket with our popular board shorts and other apparel offerings. The addition of a unique line of quality swimwear for ladies rounds out our brand offering.” The women’s swimwear collection is designed with fit and style in mind. Suits are supportive and well-structured to accent the body. Styles include a mix of athletic-inspired and on-trend silhouettes and details, yet the collection maintains a classic feel. For more information, visit saltlife.com.

Swim Collective Introduces Beach

Beach at Swim Collective will debut during the Swim Collective/Active Collective show in Anaheim, Calif., which takes place Aug. 1-2. The new sector creates a select grouping of exhibitors of apparel and accessories that complement products shown by exhibitors of swimwear. Completing a beach-to-street area allows buyers and retailers easier access to like products.

According to Roy Turner, Swim Collective’s show director, “We’re excited to add the new Beach collection to Swim Collective. It’s a natural fit.”

“I’m excited to have Beach at Swim Collective,” added Linda Meyer, owner of Bikini Factory in Santa Barbara, Calif. “Since I attend mainly swim shows, it’s helpful to have other products, such as cover-ups, footwear and accessories, available to me. This will be a big help and a time-saver for my business.”

Companies that will be included in Beach are manufacturers of high-end resortwear, cover-ups, sun-protective wear, sun-care products, accessories and beach paraphernalia. Brands such as Koy Resort, Reef, Bollare, Sea Star, Jordan Taylor, Peter Grimm, Skova and Coolibar will be exhibited.

Swim Collective, which co-locates with Active Collective, is the West Coast’s marketplace for the swimwear, beachwear, resortwear and accessory industries. It’s owned by Emerald Expositions, which operates more than 50 trade shows, including Surf Expo. For more information, visit swimcollective.com.

Helen Kaminski Turns 35

Raise a glass to one of Australia’s favorite hat companies, Helen Kaminski, celebrating its 35th anniversary this season.

To commemorate the milestone, the company has launched a limited-edition collection, inspired by a painting by the brand’s founder, Australian artist Helen Marie Kaminski. Pieces have been created around the culture of the brand, paying particular tribute to Kaminski herself. The artwork has been printed on silks and supple cotton fabrics, with pieces handcrafted from the signature raffia wide braid that launched the very first Helen Kaminski hat onto the international stage. The small collection consists of two hats, a visor and a sac bag. Only 50 pieces will be produced of each style, which will be sold exclusively through the Helen Kaminski flagship stores in Sydney, Tokyo and Seoul, as well as online.

Speaking of the artwork used to create the anniversary capsule collection, Kaminski remarked: “The piece reflects details from the wilderness of the lower Hawkesbury, where I live. I often paint from my boat, swinging off its anchor as the tide ebbs and flows.”

“Helen is such an inspiration,” said Pernille Sejer, head of design at Helen Kaminski. “We built the pieces around the heritage of the brand, key styles that laid the foundation for the brand to grow into what it is today, with some contemporary twists of color and Helen’s own paintings. It’s a real homage to Helen herself, which feels like a wonderful way for the brand to say thank you.” For more information, visit helenkaminski.com.

Thousands Attend the Debut of Apparel Textile Sourcing Miami

The inaugural edition of Apparel Textile Sourcing Miami kicked off at Miami’s Mana Wynwood Convention Center on May 21 with plenty of pageantry. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez delivered opening remarks, along with Miami-Dade Commissioners Audrey Edmonson and Jose “Pepe” Diaz, who presented a congratulatory certificate to Jason Prescott, CEO of the Apparel Textile Sourcing show, and Moishe Mana, CEO of Mana Wynwood.

The highly anticipated apparel and textile sourcing trade show, which took place May 21-23, drew nearly 2,000 visitors from around the globe and featured 139 exhibitors from 17 countries, who showcased everything from textiles and trims to private-label development services and finished apparel. “This shows us that there was a true need to create a comprehensive sourcing platform in the Miami marketplace,” said Prescott. “We believe in building a true industry event, one that also includes access to education and value-added resources, as well as opportunities for this vibrant community of professionals to connect and exchange ideas and information.” For more information, visit appareltextilesourcing.com.

Seaux Swim

Seaux new and so exciting, we had to tell you about this one in advance! As the company motto states, this is a swimwear collection designed for “Every body type, Every personality, Every soul.”

Explains Quinnie Jenkins—designer, founder and CEO—about her new line, Seaux Swim: “I wanted to be involved from start to finish and truly create unique, one-of-a-kind swimsuits—swimsuits created with passion and extreme attention to detail. I also wanted them to be made right here in America.”

This line is meant to flatter women sized S to 3XL—not just cover them up as many plus-size styles are designed to do. One-piece styles will provide extra support through the use of compression fabrics that slim and trim the silhouette in comfort. Triangle bikinis will feature adjustable tops to accommodate all cup sizes, up to size H. A one-shoulder maillot is designed with an adjustable tie at the shoulder.

Styles will be offered in the basic shades of white, pink, blue and red, with the addition of a red-and-white striped print. A sexy black suit will sport the phrase “Hot Girl” front and center for a bit of fun and enticement.

“This brand is for ALL women,” says Jenkins. “We believe that the size 14 gal should feel just as beautiful, sexy and comfortable in a swimsuit as a size 6—and vice versa. We don’t believe that just because a woman is considered plus-size, she doesn’t deserve the same selection of trendy, contemporary and stylish suits!”

Seaux Swim will be coming soon to a trade show near you. Visit seauxswim.com

Sun ‘N’ Sand Accessories—the ever-popular brand of hats and bags for women and men—recently launched a new line of headwear for infants and young children called Sunny Dayz. A multitude of styles for both girls and boys provide adorable and comfortable solutions for sun protection. This line of headwear makes it cool to be a kid.

Styles for infants and girls include packable and durable cotton reversibles in a variety of prints and solids with adjustable chin cords. Colorful paper-braid fedoras, floppys and safari styles are offered. Brims are trimmed with leather cords, girlish printed fabrics or charms. Ribbon buckets, floppys and fedoras portray a playful mix of fun color combinations. Cotton cadets round out the collection. For active boys, cotton reversibles with adjustable chin cords, cadets and bucket hats are offeçred in a variety of blue prints and solids. Rush and paper-straw safari, fedora and lifeguard hats are smartly adorned with leather cords or boyish striped or plaid trims. Sun visors, buckets hats and vented polyester hats in solid shades round out the extensive collection. For more information, visit sunnsand.com

Surf Expo—the largest and longest-running trade show for beach, swim, resort, surf, outdoor sports and lifestyle apparel and accessories in the world—announced the debut of its newest show category: Bluewater. The new category will debut at the upcoming show, taking place Jan. 25-27, 2018, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

Bluewater will host in- and offshore apparel and accessory companies anchored by such notable exhibitors as Salt Life, Bimini Bay and Yeti. “We are excited to return to Surf Expo and to be in the new Bluewater section,” remarked Larry Laska, Salt Life’s director of marketing. “Bluewater is the ultimate destination for those who live the Salt Life, to see the latest innovations in saltwater apparel and gear.”

The Bluewater section is a natural extension of what Surf Expo is known for—water sports gear and apparel. Brands of performance and lifestyle apparel, accessories, outerwear, footwear, sportswear, T-shirts, sunglasses and much more will be featured. A flats skiff by Hell’s Bay Boatworks will be a highlight in the new Bluewater Lounge. Surf Expo is owned by Emerald Expositions, the largest operator of trade shows in the United States. For more information, visit surfexpo.com.

Industry supplier La Lame is now representing Framis Italia, the leading provider of innovative high-quality and fully integrated solutions in thermo-adhesive polyurethane applications. Framis Italia has a 360-degree approach to the technology by supplying films, tapes and machines to top international brands and their partner manufacturers. La Lame’s showroom is located in the heart of New York’s Garment District. For more information, visit lalame.com.

Boys will have plenty of colorful options to wear at the beach in 2018 with the launch of Little Peixoto X Boys, the latest collection by Peixoto. Made in cool, trendy prints, the collection has the same colorful sophistication as the brand’s girls’ line. Colombian-born Mauricio Esquenazi, founder and CEO, created the collection to fill a need in the market. “Young girls have such an amazing selection, but boys don’t,” said Esquenazi. “Our girls’ business took off from the moment we launched it. After two seasons in the girls’ industry, I realized that there is a void in the market for young boys.” Made in ultra-soft fabrications with bright contrasting linings, the collection includes one style of swim trunks made in vibrant prints such as Cactus, Pirates and Monkey Business, and best-sellers borrowed from the women’s and girls’ collection, such as Psychotropic and Palm Island. The trunks will retail for $58 and are offered in sizes XS (2-4) to L (14-16). For more information, visit peixotowear.com.

Snapper Rock has joined forces with Australian children’s sunglass designer Frankie Ray to offer a range of UV-protective sunglasses for infants, girls and boys. As a leader in the production of sun-protective beachwear, the association will serve to round out the collection with this important addition of sun-essential accessories.

Snapper Rock Sunglasses by Frankie Ray is also launching the “Snap On Sunnies” sunglass set for tweens, which includes one frame with four pairs of arms in mix-and-match prints to create 22 different combinations.

“Our collaboration with Australia’s leading children’s sunglass designer, Frankie Ray, has been an enormous success,” said Julie Rich, vice president of sales and operations for Snapper Rock. “Our collection for babies through age 10 mixes in with our swimwear designs for boys and girls, and has allowed us to close that gap and provide safe, fashionable sunglasses that are 100 percent compliant with US registration and stringent Australian standards.”

Quality lenses are made from 100% A-grade shatterproof polycarbonate and provide 100% UV protection. Style selections are adorable and sun-savvy, crafted in classic styles such as a round frame with baby pink stripes for 0-2 years; a leopard print Wayfarer for girls; and a sporty blue Aviator for boys. For more information, visit snapperrock.com.

Men who enjoy drinking bottled beer in the great watery outdoors are in luck. BBO—the Boardshort Bottle Opener—is here! Developed by founder and inventor Ale Allouche, this patent-pending product is sure to be a hit as well as an entertaining topic of conversation. Veteran surfer Allouche has been designing quality surfing apparel for more than 20 years.

Allouche came up with the idea for the BBO short after returning from a day of surfing with friends. With beverages waiting for them on the beach and no way of opening them, they all improvised, leading to a chipped tooth and a bloody thumb. The wheels started spinning on the ride home, and after many samples and revisions, the BBO shorts were born.

The boardshort collection features superior craftsmanship with a silicone drawcord at the front waist, performance mesh inside waistband, soft yet durable four-way and two-way stretch fabrics, flatlock stretch stitching and the patent-pending beer bottle opener, which will not tarnish in the water.

Styles include the multi-striped “Stats” in four color ways, “Pina” and “Mano” print with solid combos, “Jardin” print and stripe combo, “Reel” fish print and “Combat” solid walking short, in sizes 30 to 42. The Mano and Reel styles have an added feature of a plier pocket for fishing enthusiasts. For more information, visit bboshorts.com.

SOLUNA SWIM, a new contemporary brand from the Lunada Bay Corporation, is making waves for Cruise 2018. The collection debuted nationwide exclusively at Everything But Water in November and will be available at additional retailers mid-January 2018. Inspired by the California woman, a social butterfly who embraces her individuality, the collection offers mix-and-match pieces with endless possibilities. Playful yet wearable, the SOLUNA SWIM resort collection includes a variety of fashion-forward silhouettes, modern textures and bold patterns. From bohemian to modern, feminine and preppy, SOLUNA is designed to celebrate personal style. Made in luxe fabrications, the collection delivers a high-quality look at an affordable price. With an array of silhouettes in mix-and-match solids and prints, SOLUNA has something for everyone. Styles include everything from basic bikinis to asymmetrical, ruffled one-pieces, off-the-shoulder tops and high-waisted bottoms, as well as breezy strapless dresses and white lace cover-ups. The collection is offered in sizes S-XL, with extended cup sizes available from a small D to a large F. For more information, visit solunaswim.com.