Alicia Swim is a portal to a tropical paradise, drawn from Alicia’s childhood on the island of Mauritius. The roots of the brand, firmly planted in Alicia’s early memories, weave a network of narratives centred around freedom and exploration, time spent close to family and surrounded by natural beauty. Offering paired back, authentic island style, a rawness and a purity run deep. It was essential for Alicia to share her love of the Mauritian beauty and way of life. A delicate print handwriting inspired by Mauritian nature and wildlife plays across designs, all hand painted by Alicia from watercolour sketches.
Alicia Swim is driven by an environmentally conscious mindset. Well-tailored swimsuits are crafted from high performance, high quality, sustainable Italian fabrics. Designs are produced in Mauritius, supporting local creativity and craftsmanship.
I love working in the fashion industry because….
I love the creativity and the energy. I’m definitely more of a creative person, I was not at all academic at school and I loved art class and drama class. I love to channel this creativity into the brand and the industry, and I love seeing my designs come to life. I hand paint all of the water colours by hand.
I also started out as a model in New York when I was 17 (working for Victoria’s Secret, Chanel and Ralph Lauren) and saw a slightly different side to the industry than I do now but I loved how the industry always hums with activity. So many people, ideas and visions. You can never not be inspired.
Alicia Swim is best known for…
Distilling the fresh island life in chic style. I grew up in Mauritius next to the ocean. I had a daily ritual of waking up and diving into the ocean, only to come home from school and do the exact same thing. I spent a lot of my childhood in swimwear and it left an imprint on me. My career as a model then gave me a lot of exposure to brands and designs and I felt like I could improve on what was already in the market with this first hand experience plus my emotional connection to the product.
The brand is strongly rooted in themes of freedom and exploration, time spent close to family and surrounded by natural beauty. Plus we are strongly motivated by an environmentally conscious mindset.
My biggest achievement to date is…
My daughter Milla, she is only 6 months old.
When designing the new collections, I am inspired by…
Mauritius, At Alicia Swim we say we are connecting you to a life well lived. So much of my childhood growing up surrounded by nature and the vibrant, fresh Mauritian life is embedded within the brand. For me it is a portal to a tropical paradise, drawn from my childhood. Whether it be the nature, the wildlife, the sea, the sand you will find all elements of Mauritius in the brand.
The current honeymoon trends I’m loving are...
A tailored shirt over a simple swimsuit of bikini. There is nothing sexier or more sophisticated for beach style in my opinion. I have just designed the perfect shirt for our Resort Collection dropping in November.
My favourite swim pieces from the latest collection are...
I am so excited about the resort collection. This collection very much honours the wilder parts of Mauritius as we explore the thick tropical rainforests and cacophony of wildlife. A darker, earthier colour palette in dark brown, deep navy and sand are super chic. My favourite piece is the shirt which is a new style for us and can be worn on the beach or in London. And a firm favourite each season is the Jodie Coco one piece in sky blue with coconut buckle hand made in Mauritius.
The best person to follow on Instagram for big-day inspo is…
I thought Bettina Looney had the most sensational wedding and I also enjoyed following Over The Moon for lots of tips and tricks.
My favourite place in the world to skip the crowds is…
My family home in Mauritius. It has been our home for eight generations. It is where I feel the most at peace, surrounded by family and sitting on our veranda that looks out onto the jungle. Part of our new campaign was shot here. I grew up at one with nature and I find going back and being immersed in natural surroundings restorative. Going for a swim first thing every morning, waking up and seeing nothing but nature – it is so good for the soul and when I find I am my most creative.
And finally, what’s next for Alicia Swim…
So many exciting things. I cannot wait to reveal our new collection. Plus we continue to develop the product offering and cater more for the woman looking for effortless beach style. Think oversize shirts and dresses that are easy to wear with swimwear, but also perfect to wear out in town.
I am also launching a beauty brand shortly. Again it is inspired by my childhood and the lifestyle instilled in me. The brand will focus on the meditative effects of rituals and bring to the foreground the calming , centring effects of this through a beauty lens. It is fresh and natural and very complimentary to the Alicia Swim lifestyle.
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