It's time for sun and sand, and that sadly means the stress that goes along with swimsuit shopping [1]. But whether you're into one-piece [2] maillots or two-piece string bikinis [3], there's a new kind of swimsuit [4] you should be thinking about before hitting the beach: the Australian cut.
"Since Brazil has a 'cut,' we needed our own," says Bondi Bather [5] founder Kerry Morrison. "It's an in-between; the shape is a brief, but so much more flattering than a regular, full-coverage bottom," she says, which is key to getting noticed in a good way. Leg holes are high in an almost '90s supermodel way to help elongate your gams and cut at the most flattering part of your rear. The result is a sporty, healthy silhouette for playing volleyball or lounging poolside. It's covered a little less than traditional American styles because "too much fabric draws (unwanted) attention to your booty," Morrison advises. "The subtle detail with the ruching along the back is a winner, too — these suits have been beach-tested by tens of thousands of girls all over the world."
The designs are simple in silhouette and fun in prints such as beach waves, sunsets, and even a collab with Hello Kitty by local artist Alana Williams, who paints on Bondi Beach. "We use Bondi as our muse," Morrison says. They've also created a Swim2Gym collection with quick-dry technology that allows ladies to go straight from surfing to yoga in a single afternoon, which is important in a healthy culture like the one Down Under.
"A healthy lifestyle and the love of the beach are in our Australian DNA, and as a swimwear brand we have a responsibility to promote a positive body image," Morrison says. Anyone with plans to hit Bondi this Summer can relax about what to wear: "Seeing all body shapes and sizes is normal," she confides. "The beach is part of the wallpaper here."
Read through to see their latest styles, which ship worldwide.