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Water Wonderful World
Chlorine resistant apparel, in built sun protection, catwalk design collaborations and fully loaded functional goggles. Swimming kit is going to great and dynamic lengths to make impact.
It was, once, above all about the look.
A swimsuit or trunks creating a great image for the wearer. Increasingly, attention has been gained by real functional excellence rather than flattering cuts - performance in and out of the water.
Whilst the consumer has come to be fed increasingly on a constant style diet of WAGS and World Cup players, the heritage of and hunger for seeing stunning swimwear featured is just as strong. Sports Illustrated’s swimwear edition is an iconic example of this interest…albeit with a lacking of masculine exposure. Swimwear as eye candy is a fact of sport and style life! Few can forget the image of Ursula Andress in that bikini, leaving Bond visibly stirred, if not shaken.
For the girls, the first “pin up” was none other than Johnny Weissmuller, or as he was perhaps more readily remembered – Tarzan. Whilst Weissmuller’s all weather loincloth (not a technical label in sight and currently the subject of a legal inheritance battle!) perhaps created more headlines due to its promotion of his physique, the actor had maximum credibility for becoming a swimming ambassador. Like many, he first took to water for health reasons as a sickly child, but through his training for five Olympic gold medals, 67 world and 52 national titles, he rightfully became a reflection of real sporting excellence. Weissmuller started as a BVD swimsuit model Sixty years ago this July, female swimwear made its first high profile headlines. A week after the U.S. military blew up an atomic bomb over Bikini atol another sort of bikini made its explosive debut. The product literally grabbed its name from the Pacific Ocean nuclear test in the headlines at the time, indeed, legendary Vogue editor Vreeland referred to it as: “the atom bomb of fashion." Paris fashion designer Louis Reard presented a model wearing the skimpiest swimsuit anyone had ever seen and since then designers have tried every imaginable way of making it even skimpier. Bikini-clad babes have become an icon of sex appeal or, for the critics, a symbol of decadence and the objectification of women.
Today, swimwear is taking its place in the apparel sector, with bikinis, tankinis, boardshorts and body suits being complemented by leisure and wellness clothing that reflects the growing modern spa culture. Gone is the “old skool” navy blue racing back basic for a fitness trip to the pool, it’s all about performance, with a little bit of posing for good measure.
When swimsuits made their first real appearance in the first half of the 20th century, there was no longer a legacy of modesty (even those early frills were functional – as figure-concealing features!) left from those early “bathing suits”. Whilst David Walliams has just notched up a spectacular swimming achievement, the headlines in 1926 were made by Gertrude Ederle who also succeeded in crossing the Channel in nothing more than a brassiere and shorts, starting a swimwear revolution, according to Life Magazine. "Neither sermons nor ordinances have slowed the steady progress from bloomers to one-piece suit to bra and diaper pants."
It was once said that: "A bikini is not a bikini unless it can be pulled through a wedding ring." Today, the fabrics involved mean that you could probably pull a bodysuit and kit bag through along with it.
In 1989 the media face (or rather the body) of professional swimwear was a television programme, depicting functional kit in action. "Baywatch" went on to become the world’s most popular television show and bikini sales dropped as one-piece suits made a comeback . Gradually swimming apparel was all about the sleek, streamlined look and performance quality, as echoed by Speedo - “cut to cut through water”.
As Nike and others announce the introduction of their “chlorine resistant “ ranges and Creora introduce a black elastane that will maintain its colour there is much in evidence to confirm that swimming kit itself is very hot property indeed. Speedo’s landmark high street retail venture has launched and is developing at a tremendous rate of success and internet specialists such as fashion forum www.figleaves.com and performance global window www.mailsports.co.uk are prime examples of the modern market in terms of retail accessibility and breadth of product offering. Accessory specialists , award winning Aqua Shpere, are also poised to enter the market for swim apparel at the end of this year with an Italian designed performance range.
TYR’s 2007 Performance Collection introduces eight new exciting prints across their apparel in 80% nylon, 0% Lycra: Zenith, Equinox, Binary, Vapor, Neon, Graffiti, Diamondhead and Mosaic. Men now have an option for shorts such as the Deck Short and the Ascent Short to wear poolside or at the beach in refreshing new colourways such as chocolate and sky blue.
Their women’s Spa Collection introduces sophisticated patterns, durability and features such as additional top support and a support strap binding system. The new Spa prints include the Diamondhead Floral, Stripes, and Splices, in key themes of jade and navy/blue .
From Australian brand Zoggs is a summer 07 collection that fully reflects the brand’s beach and surf home culture. Strong, bold, exciting new styles are combined with striking graphics and individually strong colour combinations across Performance, Fitness, Leisure, Junior and Tots categories . Embellishment highlights add to the eye catching design value, with quality assured by Zoggs’ unique CR25 and Elastomax fabrics. For Women comfort is the primary factor, with the additional use of Lycra to hug and hold the body. New subtle colour variations highlight softness and femininity. A new range of Mens’ and Boys’ shorts with contemporary styling and colours have been introduced .
Performance doesn’t have to mean a compromise on style and this is exemplified with Speedo’s latest design collaboration with Comme des Garcons. This second, larger collection for S/S07 features an apparel range.
The third collection for Speedo by Rosa Chá, is to be their largest to date with an extensive apparel line as viewed to great acclaim at the GQ Sports Style awards hosted by ispo this month.
Alongside these classic collections, Speedo has created Mind.Body.Speedo, a beautiful new capsule collection of swimwear and apparel, inspired by a woman’s need for rest and relaxation echoing the trend for swimwear to reflect the growing interest in wellness , perfect for the gym or spa holidays. Swimwear within the collection features Sculpture™, exclusive to Speedo. The fabric sculpts, contours and cocoons the body, flattering the natural shape, with a discreet, seamfree bust and tummy control to offer further support. and freedom to move in and out of the water. Swim pieces also feature Endurance+®, the latest high-performance fabric innovation from Speedo, chlorine resistant, water-durable and with quick-drying properties, Not only does this reinforce the second skin fit offered by Sculpture ™ it ensures that, whatever the environment, each piece withstands damaging elements such as salt water and chlorine.
The range of apparel within the collection marks the first time Speedo has created pieces that can be incorporated into daily leisure and lifestyles. A variety of wrap tops, track pants, slouch tops and tanks cater for every taste, age and body shape. Muted colours and tones including Titanium, Raven and Tomato complement styles that are contemporary and comfortable to wear with fine, functional detailing.
To celebrate the 12th FINA World Championships in Melbourne in 2007 Speedo is launching an exclusive capsule collection named after and inspired by the Brand’s birth place. In homage to the Australia’s passion for swimming, the collection’s signature print features a graphic illustration of the Australian coastline and incorporates a camouflage design with striking splashes of pink or blue detailing, conveying the stealth with which the competition athlete assaults each race.
Photographed on some of Speedo’s top sponsored athletes, including Michael Phelps, Grant Hackett, Lisbeth Lenton and Leisel Jones, Melbourne has been created to specifically enhance the Brand’s performance edge, incorporating many of Speedo’s technological fabric innovations. This include the revolutionary Fastskin™ FSII with its drag-defying properties and super stretch seams for a smooth feel. A new wicking fabric repels water more efficiently than ever, while seamfree construction adds comfort, reduces abrasion and creates a more streamlined suit. All these elements combine to give the athlete maximum comfort and confidence.
The collection, for men and women, features a range of silhouettes including jammers, 8cm and 5cm placement briefs, and powerback and leaderback placements. A full bodysuit style will also be exclusively available for elite athletes.
To complement the Melbourne swimwear, Speedo has also created a range of coordinating apparel including track jackets and pants, with all product featuring the distinctive camouflage print throughout.
During training for his outstanding Channel swim, David Walliams was able to test many of Speedo's currently available goggle styles as well as Endurance˙ swimwear in order to find the best kit for his gruelling experience, what’s more10% of the sales of this product were donated to Sport Relief.
Fitness and active lifestyle brand USA PRO has created a debut swimwear collection for the discerning woman which takes its inspiration from individuality. Styling includes high performance aquagym styles, sculptured one piece suits and complementary fashion separates in a variety of textures, stunning plain shades and floral prints. Technologies include the exclusive Sensitive Fabric, a caressingly soft fabric that offers optimum comfort and support whilst remaining lightweight and always retaining its shape. This is a collection designed to suit the style demands of women, including wide feminine necklines, wide under bust elastic for support, high powered fabric for optimum bust and body control and longer length legs to prevent riding and maintain modesty during aerobics. Highlights include the asymmetrically strapped Statement one-piece, Support Bikini Top and accompanying medium leg pant and the Aquagym Legsuit, one-piece and Boyleg for water-aerobics.
Earlier this year, TRADESPORT magazine in SPAIN listed the most profitable 100 sports trademarks (compiled by Sport Data) for textiles, shoes and hard sporting goods. These brands represent the best sell-out rate in 2005 and to achieve their ranking calculations were based on 6 key indicators of sales through traditional Specialist Sports Retailers * market share *Stock rotation of the products in the store * The net margin of the Dealer without taking into account * The final net margin on sales * IEP (Promotional indicator efficiency ) Net amount of sales versus the commercial margin of the dealer. * Margin on purchase .
The Rating is the average of these 6 indicators and the IENP is the net margin of sales for the Dealer. Aqua Sphere in France and Spain achieved a Ranking of 28 whilst the brand’s main competitors are ranked 41 (Turbo), 62 (Speedo), 63 (Arena). Also, Aqua Sphere has the best IENP of the entire 100 trademarks in the Spanish market and in the UK hopes to imitate this success where the brand has only actively been available for 18 months.
According to 220 Triathlon magazine, Aqua Sphere is the ‘swimming guru’ with its range of swim paddles, kick boards, pull buoys, wet/dry bags, towels, neoprene fitness swim gloves, caps, ear pieces, nose clips, zip fins, masks, snorkels and tri wetsuits as well as a proven range of goggles and masks for adults & kids. The brand is a subsidiary of Aqua Lung International, the company behind the first ever diving regulator for the renowned Jacques Cousteau.
Aqua Sphere was established in the mid 90’s and in a short time has become recognised for providing superior aquatic eye protection , having created Seal, the first swimming mask to offer wide angle vision and Kaiman, the first panoramic goggle and a favourite with elite swimmers and triathletes as well as recreational swimmers.
When it was launched, the Seal swimming mask delivered a completely new concept, combining the qualities of a swim goggle - hydrodynamic and light weight - with the essential features of a diving mask - seal and comfort. It also offers virtually 180 degrees of panoramic underwater vision . The Kaiman literally changed the world of swimming goggles, creating a small streamlined product with an amazing 180° panoramic vision ( normal goggles only offer around 70o vision ) and easy-adjust buckles which allow the fit to be altered during wear. The Guardian recently called the Kaiman the 'Best Buy' swimming goggle.
The first goggle with interchangeable curved lenses, Aqua Sphere's Eagle goggle won 'Best Designed Sport Kit' at this year's Sport Industry Awards.
As a direct response to sports retail feedback, a new range of sports snorkels for recreational use has been created under a new brand name ˆ Aquatics. With prices starting from £4.99, Aquatics is designed for people who want to try a quality mask/snorkel but do not require the high-end snorkels associated with the Aqua Sphere name.
TRI-ING AND SUCCEEDING!
This summer ispo created an entire Triathlon section at the show in response to the need for a focus on this fast growing sporting category!Aqua Sphere has just launched Tri-Wetsuits to complement their aquatic eyewear aimed at competitors and those retailers wishing to enter the popular triathlon market. An XP ( mens version ) and WXP ( womens version ) wet suit for triathletes – only £199 srp.
Of the WXP women's version, 220 Triathlon wrote “This good-looking suit from swimming gurus Aqua Sphere has been designed to provide max buoyancy and flexibility for female customers… The fit & flexibility of the shoulders and arms is great, guaranteeing an easy and natural arm turnover, along with no compression on the arms as you swim… " An entry-level Rookie suit completes the range, which also gained great acclaim in 220, delivering great value for retailers & customers alike at only £160 srp.. Summer 07 sees bold graphics and colour pallets introduced, whilst the technology may be hard core, the look is stylish and bright with sleek contours.
Aqua Sphere www.aquasphereuk.co.uk 01254 278873
Speedo www.speedo.com 01559 105339
Zoggs www.zoggs.com 01274 489089
TYR 0845 606 6343
USA PRO www.usapro.co.uk 0116 283 8183
