The best swimwear labels to shop in Australia and New Zealand
photography by Portia Sarris via Katharina Lou
WORDS BY FASHION JOURNAL
Splish splash.
In Australia, it’s always beach weather somewhere. Whether you’re diving into the closest pool or travelling for the ultimate vacation, there’s always an excuse to strip down to your cossies (or swimmers, bathers or togs).
Discover more local designers in our Fashion section.
We’re a beach-mad nation, so it’s only apt that we have a host of swimwear designers and labels that are up to the task of making swimmers fit for our water-obsessed bods. Not sure where to shop swimwear this summer? Below, we’ve compiled some of our favourite local brands for you to peruse.
Dirt
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A Melbourne label known for its experimental footwear, Dirt branched into swimwear earlier this year, much to our delight. Its swimwear collection is made with a recycled nylon and spandex blend, with designs including a khaki and red triangle bikini and a sand-toned one-piece with neon green trim, finished with a custom Dirt charm. Think classic silhouettes, made cooler.
Cooke Swim
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Founded by Australian creative Olive Cooke, Cooke Swim’s pieces are designed to mix and match to create versatility in your wardrobe. Sustainability and ethical production are at the core of the brand’s ethos, with all swimwear made from econyl in sizes XS to XXL.
Christopher Esber
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Christopher Esber’s signature earthy colour palette, statement cut-outs and hardware carries into the label’s swimwear offerings, which includes adjustable bikini tops, swim T-shirts and one-piece bathers that could easily double as a bodysuit with a chic sarong or denim shorts. It’s the perfect swimwear to pack on a resort holiday, for effortless style on the beach lounger and beyond.
Em on Holiday
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The second major fashion venture by Sydney-based designer Emma Mulholland, Em on Holiday has brought ’90s souvenir kitsch back in a big way. The brand’s swimwear offering is a vibrant selection of one-pieces and bikinis, ranging from sizes XS to XXXL.
Katharina Lou
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Australian fashion label Katharina Lou is known for its bright colours and signature tartan patterns. With small batches made in Australia, Bali and China, the label utilises deadstock and recycled fibres. Find a range of swimwear options, including tankinis, bikinis and one pieces in sizes XS to 3XL.
Matteau
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Matteau prioritises classic cuts and considered materials, so you can wear your swimwear over and over again. The brand’s range of apparel follows the same style ethos, and all of it’s made in Australia.
Raq Apparel
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Made specifically with women who are a D cup and above in mind, Raq Apparel is on a mission to make swimwear shopping easier for all women. Produced in small, limited edition runs, Raq Apparel’s simple but timeless styles are available in over 30 bra sizes, with more coming later this year.
Zulu and Zephyr
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Zulu and Zephyr has been a stalwart of Australian swimwear since it was founded in 2012. Inspired by ’70s aesthetics, its swimwear styles don’t compromise on sustainability, with the brand using materials like econyl and repreve in its collections. Its sizes range from 6 to 16.
Rachel Mills
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Equal parts sexy and sophisticated, Rachel Mills is another New Zealand-based designer well worth checking out when swimwear shopping. With exceptionally flattering cuts in minimal block colours, these swimwear options will become your summer staples for many years to come.
Rashi
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Born in Bondi, Rashi is a recently launched swimwear label, with its pieces offering UPF 50+ coverage, blocking 98 per cent of harmful UV rays. Each garment is crafted with Econyl, a premium Italian sun safe fabric, and regenerated nylon, derived from recycled fishing nets and ocean waste. Find bikinis and rashisto layer over for increased sun protection.
Peony
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A leader in the Australian sustainable swimwear space, Peony likely needs no introduction. Embellished with frills and adorned with understated florals, all of its swimwear is made from recycled materials.
Suku Home
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Melbourne label Suku Home makes the kind of swimwear we want to wear beyond the beach. Think bright pops of colour and nostalgic tankinis, available in fun prints or solid colours like lemon yellow and aquamarine. Pair them with the label’s sarongs and boardies, and you’ve an outfit you’ll want to live in this summer.
Sauce Swim
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Playing with colour and pattern, Sauce Swim collaborates with local artists to create custom prints. Describing itself as a ‘conscious’ label, its eye-catching pieces are made with love in Australia from regenerated nylon, to avoid these materials ending up in our oceans and landfill.
Emily Watson
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Emily Watson redefines swimwear as we know it, with asymmetrical, string-clad designs that hark back to quintessential Australian beachwear like Zoggs swimsuits and poncho towels. Its made-to-order pieces are all designed and produced in Melbourne.
Form And Fold
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When founders Carly and Stephanie became fed up with the lack of unsupportive swimwear for women wearing a D cup and above, Form and Fold was born. Tirelessly sampled and expertly designed, Form and Fold’s sizing supports up to a 16F and 14G cup.
Fella Swim
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Frequently collaborating with emerging artists to design its prints, Fella is committed to advocacy and doing good. Its nostalgia-inspired cuts can even be customised, with options to alter the band and strap size, as well as padding.
Rose Pure x Olivia Rowan
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Featuring a sexy dress, bikinis and a sweat set, the collaboration between designer Olivia Rowan and stylist Rose Pure has the most essential wardrobe staples on offer. Think of it as the uniform for a summer party girl.
Monday Swimwear
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The brainchild of Australian bloggers Natasha Oakley and Devin Brugman, Monday Swimwear embodies the pair’s ethos of body positivity. The brand’s flattering cuts and classic block colours mean there’s a Monday Swimwear piece to suit every body.
Sexiaz
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Sexiaz has its origins in bikinis and lingerie made specifically for sex workers, but since 2020, the brand has blown up on Instagram thanks to its custom-made bikinis and tops. Sisters Arielle and Kallista – self-described ‘bikini dealers’ – ensure Sexiaz champions all bodies and sexualities, and is staunchly pro-sex work.
Astroprincess
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Although Astroprincess is NZ-based, we thought it deserved an honorary mention. Designed, cut and crafted all in creator Kristen’s home, these playful bikinis are handmade with love. Featuring bold colours and hot prints, these pieces are perfect for your next beach trip or rave.
Hakea
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Produced in limited runs and made from earthy-hued fabrics, Hakea was born from founder Casey’s frustration at the lack of practical, comfortable swimwear to wear in the surf. Hakea’s range of bikinis, rash shirts and one-pieces are made from econyl.
Gali Swimwear
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Gali is a First Nations-owned brand, crafted in Australia. Gali (meaning ‘water’ in Kamilaroi language) collaborates with local artists and communities to design sustainable men’s swimwear. Every product is crafted from recycled materials and shipped using compostable, plastic-free packaging.
Camp Cove
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Originally made by founder Katherine’s mum, Camp Cove swimwear hasn’t strayed far from its locally-made roots. Now made in Jervis Bay on the NSW South Coast, Camp Cove’s brightly patterned swimsuits are made with women’s empowerment in mind. They come in sizes six to 16.
Butterfly Kisses
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With timeless designs and flattering cuts, the Butterfly Kisses swimwear collection will keep you going for summers to come. Handmade with love on the Gold Coast, the brand’s Y2K palette of denim, hot-pink vinyl and silver foil is unconventional in all the right ways.
Commas
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Commas has reinvented what it means to make considered, stylish swimwear for men. The Sydney-based label sources its fine fabrics from Europe and Japan, and each print that finds its way onto a Commas garment is an original artwork.
Bondi Born
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A certified B Corporation, Bondi Born is uncompromising in its commitment to sustainable and ethical swimwear. Simple but never boring, its block colour swimsuits in shades like ‘blueberry’ and ‘pistachio’ will endure for many summers to come.
Liandra Swim
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Representing story through colour and print, Indigenous swimwear label Liandra Swim seamlessly connects Aboriginal Australian culture with contemporary swimwear. Committed to doing better, its quality designs, illustrating vast Australian landscapes, are made from regenerated plastics and other recycled materials.
Bond-Eye
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Sydney swimwear label Bond-Eye makes 80 per cent of its range from regenerated nylon, derived from pre-consumer raw materials that would usually go to waste. Made in its signature tubular crinkle fabric, its silhouettes offer flattering cuts for every type of beach lover. You can choose from muted neutral tones or opt for something bolder in a retro tie-dyed set as part of the label’s latest collab with Australian model Jessica Gomes.
For more Australian swimwear labels, head here.
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