When temperatures rise, the clothes come off. With summer approaching, all the biggest labels are launching their 2012 swimwear lines. We’ve been up to our eye balls in the latest swimwear collections these last few weeks. They were all pretty fantastic, which is why we featured them in the first place. However, we have to admit that although they were aesthetically appealing, the bikinis and swimsuits were still quite run of the mill with little or no innovation when it came to design.
However, we didn’t realize this until we came upon a showing of the ever-versatile Ambika Sanjana’s swimwear collection on March 31. To say we were floored at her Swimwear Fashion Show at Tenten in Los Angeles, California is an understatement.
Ambika Sanjana is an Indian-born designer who first came into the limelight when her very first fashion line was showcased at the Los Angeles Fashion Week in 2009. Her love for the beach combined with the deep respect she has often professed for Indian handicrafts makes her uniquely qualified to design swimwear that is truly unique. A lifelong affiliation to art via her family and her travels across the world has given her the knack to fuse diverse elements from various cultures into her designs.
Her latest swimwear range features a palette of bold colors, rich prints and exotic embellishments. Her designs wed modern cuts with traditional Indian ethos. Each piece – whether swimsuit or cover-up – sweeps you away with the boundless beauty and rich heritage that it embodies.
We want to say that the collection is ‘royal’ but hesitate to use that word because it gives the impression of being out of reach and perhaps even lofty. The designs are indeed quite imposing but they are also very playful and feminine. Take, for example, the peach and hot-pink tie-and-dye cover-up with the heavily-embellished V-neckline. The detailing on the neck is breathtaking and some may call it superfluous too, but when you pair it with the filmy fabric and the flirty cut of the skirt it is transformed into a fashionable, funky, fun item of beach wear.
Another great example is the full-sleeved orange cover-up with the hoodie. The unconventional color is surprisingly erotic, amplified by the floral gold detailing on the neckline and sleeve.
A design worth mentioning is the black one-piece with the deeply-cut neckline. The front is spattered with large, hoop-like, multi-colored sequins that catch the sun and the eye. A sexy way to make a style statement on the beach and get the boys drooling.
What struck us most about this swimwear line was how the designs catered to all women body shapes from the athletic skinny types to the full-bodied, voluptuous ones. The swimsuits and coverups both allow for glossing over of problem areas and highlighting of the more flattering assets of one’s figure.
Heart-racing and vibrant beyond measure, this swimwear collection raises the bar for beach wear everywhere. Our verdict? Very hot, very in, a must-have for any fashionista worth her salt.
Image: P R Photos