If you’ve been keeping up with the fashion industry’s calendar, then you know that the first few weeks in June are dedicated to Paraiso’s Swim Week in Miami. And now celebrating 20-years of innovation, 2024 is no different. In four short days, dozens of designers big and small took to the tents to present their latest collections of swimsuits, resort wear, and activewear — in other words, everything and anything in the lifestyle category.
Of course, the presenting designers from countries all around the world have more than just a few new bathing suits to offer. There were a plethora of tropical ready-to-wear pieces designed from breathable fabrics in Sea Folly’s new collection, as well as accessories like printed scarves and belly chains at Hunting Hue and PQ Swim to make even the simplest of outfits pop, poolside. Meanwhile brands like Azulu, pulled out two-tone strappy sandals made with natural materials like straw and raffia.
However, seeing as the nearly week-long event has come to an end, it’s time to reflect on all the trends to come from the catwalk and the ways in which you can embrace them IRL, ahead of your next warm-weather trip to the beach or the pool.
Seafoam Color Trend
Every Miami Swim Week there’s a color (or two) that standouts and for Summer 2024, it was all about a soft, pastel shade that’s been dubbed, seafoam green. Colombian brand Azulu presented a whole assortment of mint-green pieces, which included a tankini with a shell-shaped strapless top and glittery halter dresses that are perfect for when the sun goes down. Later in the week, Brazilian brand Sinesia Karol sent a similar hue (but brighter) down the runway in the form of ruched, chain-detailed bikinis and tube-top one-pieces. Whereas Australian brand Seafolly debuted a few different variants of the shade in its collection of swimwear at Miami hotspot Nikki Beach Club.
Body Jewelry + Bikini Accessories
Actual swimwear aside, there were an abundance of adornments being sent down the runway, as well. Fan-favorite, Luli Fama presented vibrant bikinis with embellished body chains in its new collection. While Oh Polly’s lineup had its fair share of string-bead details, which included a . Meanwhile the brand SIGAL, best known for its hand-painted watercolor prints, had the models wearing gold adornments on their feet, instead of sandals.“These accessories were actually something that stylist Mariela Ortega created,” the brand’s founder Sigal Cohen Wolkowiez, tells me after her Miami show. “It was a combination of thin leather cord and golden pieces, found at a craft supply store in Caracas,” she continued before calling Ortega a “genius.”
3D Floral Appliques
Flowers are far from groundbreaking for spring or summer – we know this. However, the collections to come out of Miami Swim Week showed plenty of three-dimensional floral appliques that make the conventional motif a bit more interesting. Models on the runway at woman-led brand PQ Swim and Los Angeles-based label Axil Swim wore tiny bikinis with large floral details a lá Carrie Bradshaw or Joan Clayton from Girlfriends. Meanwhile, all the sandals and embellishments at Sinesia Karol included a large floral applique – I was particularly fond of the rope-cord belt tied around a high-cut white one-piece.
Red-Hot Summer
One glance at the last few seasons of ready-to-wear collections will show you that the color red, in just about every shade. From Ferrari-red to a deep Bordeaux hue, the color is having a major moment right now. Always trendy, Oh Polly incorporated the candy apple shade into its collection of embellished swimwear with gold shell-detailed bikinis with draped details at the sides. The family-owned Canadian brand SHAN showed red ruffled one-pieces with matching choker details and a bandeau bikini with a matching kimono-style coverup
Sun Protection
Many swimwear designers have come a long way from the ‘90s, where tanning culture reigned supreme. The runways during Miami Swim Week are a prime example. Instead of only offering teeny tiny bikinis or one-piece bathing suits with scantily-clad cutouts, brands like Sydney-based label Hunting Hue sent rash guards and silk scarves in splashy ocean prints, down the runway. SIGAL took a similar approach, transferring their beautiful watercolor designs to long-sleeve singlets. While SHAN infused their new swimsuits with the same everyday sensibility that can be found in its core clothing collections. Elsewhere, Seafolly and Acacia presented resort wear in the form of sundresses and easy coordinate sets, which can be layered atop your favorite bikini to protect your skin from harsh rays.
Eco-Conscious Swim
There were also a good number of names who made sure that their sustainable efforts were at the forefront of their new Swim Week collections. Los Angeles-based brand Axil Swim is known best for its use of recycled Italian fabrics. Whereas the entire premise of Acacia’s Resort 2025 lineup was to encourage their shoppers to buy less and better. For example the scenery at the show included a paper-crate, winding bench for attendees to sit on, which could be recycled after the event was over.
Best Crocheted Catch
Despite the scorching hot temperatures in Miami, there were a lot of crochet-knit and netted pieces to come out of Swim Week. Acacia presented crocheted bikinis and midi dresses on the runway. While Leslie Amon’s collection features a number of pieces with intarsia-knitted stars, there were a slew of triangle-top swimsuits to make their way down the catwalk, as well. PQ Swim also showed colorful striped knitwear pieces, in a less literally more practical way to accommodate harsh rays.