january 2008 - FMMG.com

fashion mode int. inc., (323) 229-8656. email: FRANKST@MS77.HINET.NET.
carrie amber intimates, (626) 371-1980. email: MAY@CARRIEAMBER.COM.
swimwear REPORTED
european style at tahiti st.
At Tahiti Street, a designer swimsuit retailer,
owner and buyer Andrea Bisordi is looking forward
to a busy season. “ January through March is
our busiest time for swimsuit sales. This is the
time when people take vacations,” said Bisordi.
Recently, trends have been moving away from
mainstream American brands and safe basic colors
such as brown and black, reported Bisordi.
Tahiti Street has been focusing on more exclusive
brands and European styles with bolder colors
and increased variety including Eres from
Paris, which is a line made by Channel; Etro, an
Italian brand; Manuel Canovas, a French printbased
brand; Australian brand Jets, which is new
to the U.S. .
A second trend Bisordi has noticed recently is
a shift in demand for two piece suits. In past
years, Bisordi’s customers were overwhelmingly
interested in one-piece styles.
“Women are looking for feminine pieces with
variety, and a luxurious feel,” said Bisordi.
“Accessorizing the suits by pairing them with
stylish pieces with sequin and charm embellishments,
as well as jewelry, lends swimwear a convenient
versatility that allows women to pack
lighter and remain stylish.”
Monokinis are also available at Tahiti Street,
which are a sexy alternative to the two-piece.
Along the same lines, little knit or rayon dresses
with anti-wrinkle properties have been very
popular as well. These pieces feature babydoll
shapes, tunics, and have a vintage look to them,
utilizing 60s-inspired pop-art designs allowing
women to layer these items and have them double
as streetwear. Packable hats are also available
to complete the vacation ensemble.
Colors have made their way into prints as well,
with customers looking for pinks, blues, greens,
and turquoise rather than the subdued basics
that have been popular in past years. Draping
and contour twisting around the neckline create
the mod elegant look for this season. “The
majority of our customers are women ranging in
age from 30 to 50 looking for fashion-forward,
contemporary styles in comfortable and quality
BY GINA GOLDBLATT
materials and shapes,” said Bisordi.
Tahiti Street has two locations: Rye, NY and
Greenwich, Ct. Their Rye store can be reached
att (914) 967-2966 and their Greenwhich location
is available at (203) 622- 1878.
sangria at mermaid boutique
At Mermaids Boutique swimwear trends
include bandeaus, big gold ring accents and hard
wear detailing. “Mis-matched separates are
popular as well,” said manager Jordana Schulte.
Sexy one pieces and monokinis with zippers as
well as berry and wine shades, such as sangria are
on the rise. In patterns, polka dots, stripes and
animal prints are mod for the season, with solids
providing a simple elegance.
The store can be reached at (305) 662-8621.
jazz it up at out of the blue
“The best selection of swimwear in Westchester,
can be found at Out of the Blue Clothing,” says
swimwear buyer Barbara Jacobs. According to
Jacobs, every fashion line has started to incorporate
either glitter, metallic or Lurex highlights in
some capacity in their latest swimwear collections.
Designer names such as Becca, Juicy and
Vitamin A are included in this new trend, which
provides buyers with innovative and fashion-forward
options.
The junior market is witnessing pop prints
and bright colors, and styles are being considered
busier and bolder than suits featured in past
seasons. Bright green and orange are two prominent
colors. “Our store provides a variety of
styles, with cuts to fit every body type. We do a
tremendous D and double D business and provide
options both for the naturally large-busted
woman who is looking for support and for our
customers with breast augmentations who are
looking for coverage. There are also suits that
combine both needs,” said Jacobs.
New at Out of the Blue are expanded lines of
cover-ups and beach bags, which include wraps,
dresses and pull on skirts with color schemes
that coordinate with or match the swimwear.
Cool Change and Debbie Katz are two brands
that exclusively provide cover-up lines for the
company. Beach bags and flip-flops are also
being tied in to the swimwear, forming a more
versatile outfit.
According to Jacobs, printed suits are always
popular items. “Often women will wear bolder
or more risqué prints in swimwear than they
would in sportswear or other apparel. In
swimwear, women put themselves out there,”
said Jacobs. Attached-skirted bottoms are more
prominent as well, especially for young mothers
who want to wear functional two pieces.
“We do about 80 percent of our business in
separates. The concept of separates is not only
about size mixing but about creating silhouettes
that are as unique as our customers,” said Jacobs.
Out of the Blue’s clientele base consists of contemporary
women, regardless of their age,
according to Jacobs. “What sets our store apart
from others is the extensively personalized service
we provide. I personally go into the fitting
rooms with customers and ask them questions,
so as to find the perfect suit for each of them,”
said Jacobs.
Jacobs, formerly in the manufacturing sector of
swimwear, has 30 years of experience in the
business, which she contributes to the retail portion
of swimwear at Out of the Blue.
Jacobs can be reached at (914) 244-1792.
variety at christina america
In a recap of Christina America’s swimwear
options for 2007, the manufacturing company
proved to be diverse with lines such as XOXO,
Christina, and The C Collection. The swimwear
options ranged from abstract prints to beaded
earth tones, to minis and tankinis. In XOXO
swimwear, there were warm hues, white suits with
golden details and 70s style embroideries, as well
as vintage options with skirted bottoms, hippielike
designs and shiny fabrics. The Christina line
contained exotic colors such as yellows and
oranges, textured suits, beaded embellishments
and a variety of blue hues. The C Collection
highlighted plunge neck cuts, leafy prints and
flirty skirts.
Christina America is a swimwear manufacturer
and seller based out of Montreal and New
York and can be reached at (212) 391-0710. B
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