Winter comes and goes before you know it. One minute you’re cinching a wool coat, the next someone’s leaning across the dinner table, fork still in hand, asking if you’re going to Sahel next weekend. Just like that, winter’s over and the only warning you got was the scorching leather of your car seat and the group chat debating which house you’ll be staying at, seemingly out of nowhere.
Naturally, you retreat to your dresser and excavate a bikini top from 2021 only to realize it’s been through it. The elastic has made its peace with life. The color has had a difficult few seasons. It made an appearance at one too many beach days and has the sun damage to prove it.
THE THING ABOUT SWIMWEAR
Here’s the thing about swimwear: everyone waits until they’re already at the beach to think about it, which is exactly how you end up panic-buying something that looks better on the website than it does on a human body in direct sunlight. The solution is to sort it now, before the pool party invitations start arriving in earnest, before the trunk of someone’s car is already packed, before you’re standing at the edge of the water with a sartorial regret you can’t return.
We’ve done the work. Six bikinis, none of them giving 2021.
ZIMMERMANN: PATIENCE BOW TIE BIKINI
The bows are the focal point. Oversized, satin-sheen, sitting at the straps like the bikini was wrapped and presented. The finish is soft and shiny, the dusty rose is a very specific shade of pink that looks good on everyone and even better in pictures. The whole thing has a deliberate delicacy to it that makes you want to save it for a good swim. You definitely won’t mindlessly shove this one in a beach bag last minute.
ALLSAINTS: XALIA LEOPARD
For the girl who finds the string bikini bottom a bit of an ask. This one offers a high-waisted, forgiving silhouette that doesn’t compromise on design. The leopard print is restrained, kept to the edges and grounded in black, so it’s graphic and interesting without being too much at once. The rare print bikini that plays nice with everything in your carry on.
PUCCI: IRIDE PRINT BANDEAU
It’s Pucci, so the print announces itself. That iconic swirling pattern, this time in light pink and white, which makes it feel more ethereal than maximalist. Soft enough for a quiet beach day, distinctive enough that no one will have to ask you where it’s from. The bandeau means less of those pesky tan lines and more of an even tan. Ideal.
MISSONI: TRIANGLE BIKINI WITH RASCHEL WORKMANSHIP
No logo. No print. Just the unmistakable Missoni knit. The crochet, the subtle shimmer, this is the kind of piece that isn’t performing or asking to be seen. The intricate Raschel weave provides a structural genius that other brands simply can’t replicate. It’s subtle, but it’s ready to have fun. If you know, you know.
FARM RIO: GREEN RUFFLE BIKINI
Brazilian summer and Egyptian summer have a lot in common and Farm Rio is the proof. The ruffled straps, the fun color, the prints that look designed by someone genuinely happy to be alive. All of it built to be worn by the sea, on some of the best days of your life. The chaotic boat day bikini. The one that survives everything and still looks good paired with a coverup by the end of the night.
BLACKBOUGH SWIM: MIRANDA V-NECK TANKINI
This tankini offers a bit more real estate while still feeling young and fresh. The stripes are relaxed and rhythmic, lending a playful energy that feels fitting for those long summer days. It’s built for movement; the kind of piece you wear when the plan involves more than just lying still.
LOUIS VUITTON: MONOGRAM FOLIAGE BIKINI
Out of all the options on the list, this is the outlier. It’s the iconic LV monogram reimagined as swimwear, featuring wrap-around ties that go around your waist. It’s graphic and visually loud in the best way. This isn’t for the girl laying under a parasol; it’s for the one who brought her speakers to the beach. If you’re going to do the logo, do it with the volume turned all the way up.
