Beachwear's big splash

Swimwear in India is undergoing a huge makeover. It's not about boring blacks or bold bikinis. Instead, the new trend, says Abhilasha Ojha, includes tankinis, skirtinis and branded apparel suited to local needs.

Sometime last week, at a rooftop restaurant of the Gansevoort South Beach Hotel in Miami, models sashayed down the ramp wearing swimwear designer Tyler Rose’s new collection. It was, for the record, a collection that was inspired by Indian prints, including tie-dye, ethnic prints and called, not surprisingly, Haute Indian Summer. Ironically, if any of Rose’s designs (mostly bikinis) were to come to India, they wouldn’t quite work. And, no, it wouldn’t be her fault. Swimwear, after all, hasn’t taken off in India and there’s a huge gap that exists between what consumers want and what brands provide.

Yes, names like Mango, La Senza and Marks & Spencer, to name some, have given customers a big break from the usual, drab, one-piece swimsuits in black. But face it, will a majority of Indian women be seen in bikinis? Not really. However, for those of you who can flaunt a two-piece, La Senza’s brand new designs in bright polka dots, neon colours and chic styles are available (minus shipping charges and other taxes) for Rs 3,200 on lasenza.com. Some of these products are available in the company’s Indian stores too. Mango’s beachwear, on the other hand, also includes bikini-skirts and cost Rs 3,000 upwards. Other global brands like Banana Moon are yet to launch in India but swimwear can be bought online on bananamoon.com. Trendy one-piece swimwear on bananmoon.com starts at Rs 5,000 and can move up to Rs 11,500 (excluding shipping charges). Though smart athletic swimwear continues to be available in India through brands like Adidas, Nike, Reebok and Puma (the last ranging from Rs 899-2,149) for women who want colour, design and a casual chic look, there’s a lot more that is increasingly available.

“Indian women, while dressing in swimwear, still require designs with a healthy dose of conservatism,” explains Tushar Aggarwal, who, along with his wife Shruti, recently launched Secret Caché for the Indian market. Interestingly, the idea stemmed in Shruti’s head when she went berserk trying to look for appropriate swimwear for an Indian beach wedding that would be smart, sexy, but still be appropriate in front of her family members. That’s what led to Secret Caché, a New York-based fashion house that ties up with a host of designers who research, study markets and then work on designing swimwear in the hope that it would succeed all over the world — from beaches in Miami to the backwaters of Kerala and the shores of Goa, for that matter.

Secret Cache is not only interesting but also a much-needed concept in the Indian market. And no, that’s not because the company offers bolder, trendier and colourful designs in swimwear, but because it aims at understanding the requirements of the Indian woman. “We can’t ignore the fact that most of our customers opt for extra coverage and bright and earthen colours — similar to those found in lehngas and saris,” says Aggarwal, who adds that in India, swimwear is largely found in black, “a colour of the past”.

While Secret Cache is an umbrella brand which includes big names like Gottex, Ralph Lauren, Diva, Liz Claiborne, Anne Cole and similar couture labels from across the globe, the products, adds Aggarwal, are customised to suit the tastes of Indian women and include one-pieces, monokinis, tankinis, bikinis, coverups and swim dresses. “Over the next year,” says Aggarwal, “we plan to introduce the complete resort collection all over India.” The complete range is available on www.secretcache.com. Interestingly, the company offers free shipping, a complimentary gift, payment on delivery and even a 10-day return policy. Take the company’s “tankini” in orange and metallic gold. A retro design from the brand Liquid Blue, this one costs Rs 4,180 and is perfect as beachwear. Speaking of tankinis, Marks & Spencer (with a sale of up to 50 per cent even on its website) has a “ruffle-neck tankini” priced at Rs 1,800 (after discount, does not include shipping charges).

Going back to secretcache.com, a classic one-piece by the brand Longitude, in black with smart yellow borders can be ordered at Rs 3,450. Endless Summer, another very smart one-piece by designer Ocean Dream is for Rs 4,250. Considering the fact that the goods need to be shipped from the US, Secret Cache’s pricing, apart from the trendy designs that the company offers, is its USP.

Beachwear in India needed something of a wave. With newer designs, thankfully, there’s been a huge splash.