The summer is for vacations on the beach, taking time off from your mundane routine life and sipping some Pina Coladas while soaking in the sun. While some of us may be quick to put on a bikini not caring about the glances we might get on Indian beaches, others may feel more comfortable in beachwear that covers up a little more. Inspired by the idea of maximism, where ‘more is more’ (a reaction to the concept of minimalism where ‘less is more’), designer Aakriti Grover has come out with a range of swimwear under her brand Flirtatious.
Though the line also includes athleisure wear and resort wear by using eclectic prints and striking embellishments, the focus is on swimwear-- and what a fresh take it is.
Talking about why she chose to experiment with the concept of maximalism for this collection, Grover says, “Minimalism feels really dated now. Maximalism, with its vibrant colours, prints, and sequins feels fresh.”
She adds that it’s difficult for her to pin-point what swayed her that way, but she mentions that the aim of the brand is to always come up with collections that are daring and bold, and inspire a change from the stagnation that sets in with new trends. “This season, Flirtatious has joyfully blended its references to cater to the varied styles of our customers. This collection is inspired from a sense of versatile style and diverse taste. Swimwear doesn’t always follow traditional fashion trends, so we take this opportunity to experiment with cuts and colours,” she says.
The colour palette is set to beat the sun at its own game. The pieces are so bright with lots of fluorescent hues, pop colours, and so on in nylon spandex fabric for perfect fit. “We are major crushing on fluorescent colours this season. The collection is presented with an eclectic mix of silhouettes with comfort as key. At Flirtatious, we’re constantly inspired from our love for dynamic combinations which is why we chose this colour palette,” she says.
Customised for comfort
The pieces seem to make the wearer look as bright and easy-to-spot as lifeguard on a mission to save the beaches and pools from sloppy and outdated fashion. While you will be turning heads, you will be doing so in a swimwear piece that you’re most comfortable in. The pieces are designed keeping in mind Indian sensibilities, body type and skin tones. “We are one of the prime providers of customised swimwear. We provide all levels of customisation with just a click. On our website you can fill in options from made to measure to choosing the brief cut of your choice. We provide a huge variety of colour range, so any style can be done as per your comfort colour,” says Grover.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t have the conventional ‘swimwuit body’, in fact, who even cares about that in 2019. In a time when women should smash patriarchal pressures of fitting into certain measurements and standards to be considered beautiful, this brand offers something for everyone. “We as a brand don’t believe in body shape. We believe that if you wear something, you should feel happy in it and that will automatically reflect in your confidence. Since we don’t have an Indian standard size chart and we are not European bodies, we feel our made to measure options make it easy for anyone to opt for any style that will fit their body like a glove,” she says, adding, “You can go ahead and choose a bikini with boy legs or choose a one piece with boy legs. So any style can be done for you depending where and how you want to wear it. This season we have contributed a lot of styles with boy legs for people to have a visual feel.”
The brand has also been promoting the idea that swimsuits are not just for taking a dip, you can also use it as a bodysuit, so it can be taken from the beach to bars in seconds. “The market is just going to grow more as people have learnt to have more self confidence and more vacations every year,” she adds.
