Is it me, or do swimsuits not really change much from year to year?
Every summer, many of the major swimsuit designers show up in Miami for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim to show their new collections. Even though some trends may change, you can pretty much bet the suits will always be colorful and skimpy.
This year's edition, a five-day marathon that ended Monday, featuring looks from three dozen designers, was no different. The No. 1 rule continues to be, if you've got it, flaunt it in a swimsuit that shows your curves.
Yet there were some threads of change. A number of designers went the opposite-of-skimpy route, with more athletic looks featuring structured shoulders and cap sleeves. Some even had sleeves extended to the elbows.
Suits by Cia.Marítima (which has relaunched as CM), BCBGeneration and Oakley have an athletic vibe, with fabrics and designs suited as much for the track or beach volleyball court as the pool.
Mara Hoffman looked to South Asia and Indian mythology for inspiration, with colorful prints — one of the Hindu god Ganesh. Models wore a Third Eye on their foreheads as they walked down the runway.
Nicolita features fuller-cut bottoms for curvier figures, while Poko Pano showcases swimsuits with eco-friendly beads and gold-plated hardware.
For her first-ever presentation at swim week, Nanette Lepore showed a lot of different styles, from bandeau to halter to maillot. And cover-ups were just as versatile, ranging from brightly patterned pants that look like track suits to an orange Moroccan-style short caftan.
"What's nice with swim is it's blurring into real clothing now," Lepore told the Associated Press.
Mara Hoffman
