I always knew I wanted to be an artist, but I hadn’t chosen a direction yet. Then one day, while I was drawing a life model during class, sketching her beautiful curves in circular motions, it struck me: what if I, as an artist, used a woman’s body as my canvas?
If you make a painting, someone will hang it on their wall. If you design a chair, someone will sit on it. But if you design lingerie, someone will wear it, and by doing so, complete your art! I had found my mission.
I made my master plan. Three components were going to define the look and philosophy of my brand: the design, the fit and a radically new, feminine point of view. (After centuries of the male point of view dominating art and design, I wanted to discover what made women click!)
These three elements together I called my Golden Combination. Because when the ft is excellent, and the design is elegant and flattering from a feminine point of view, a woman feels confident enough to explore my motto: dare to be. And then, oh, the places she’ll go!
As a woman, I wanted to empower other women. I want to help them celebrate their bodies… also on the beach! So when I realized I had managed to develop the Rolls Royce of bras and knickers, I felt ready to apply my Golden Combination to swimwear.
Now the beach is a fascinating phenomenon. It has its own set of rules. Just think about it: where else would you undress in front of that many people and think it’s absolutely normal? The sea is somehow very seductive; the closer we get to it, the more we give in to the urge to undress (to the point even of falling asleep topless!). For me, as a designer, this is a delicious, almost poetic challenge!

You see, when I design lingerie I want your whole body to become part of the design. I stand behind you when you wear one of my creations, admiring yourself in the mirror. I whisper in your ear: ‘Look at your breasts, aren’t they amazing? Check out your beautiful bottom!’ My goal is to make to make your reflection shudder and push you out of your comfort zone.
But when it comes to swimwear, I want you right there smack in the middle of your comfort zone! Because when we feel like everybody is watching us, -which is definitely the case on the beach!-, we are very aware of certain areas of our body that we feel insecure about. Hey, I’m a woman, I know how you feel! So how can I help you with those areas, and at the same time emphasize what you feel confident about?
In a way, designing swimwear is like a wonderful 3D puzzle: which parts to reveal, which ones to cover up? It’s a matter of centimeters, millimeters even! For that subtle touch, I came up with a signature style involving a lot of pleats and folds (as opposed to the straps and cutouts I use in my lingerie). Using them, I can sculpt a shape that shows your ‘undressed’ body in the most stylish way possible.

I’ve also put a lot of time and thought into the ft. First of all, I’ve given my swimwear wider shoulder straps than the classic, yet flimsy triangle bikini. This way, they don’t cut into the flesh of your shoulders –ouch!- and you don’t have to re-adjust your top after every tiny movement (let alone look for your bikini at the bottom of the pool after one dive).
Then, the cups. When people look at a bikini, the first things they will notice is the fabric and the straps, but the cups, shaped by the mold, are equally important. They’re the key element in making your bikini look amazing, feel super comfortable all day, and last forever. A bit like the engine of the car, except that it also really defines the look! That’s why I have developed my own sturdy yet stylish cups, using only the best quality material for the molds, so you don’t suffer from ‘sweaty boobs’, as my daughter Zilver likes to call them.
I also paid a lot of attention to the under-wire. Mass-produced brands use standard wires, made of cheaper material, that tend to break or poke through the fabric after a while. We all know how much that can hurt! Yes, my tops cover your breasts more than a traditional string-bikini would, but through a clever play with lines and proportions you still look sensual and playful. And a very nice bonus: you don’t ever have to worry about nipple-slips…
And let’s not forget about the bottoms! I’ve made sure that for each look, you can choose from two to three different types of bottoms. I’ve discovered that cutting the leg quite low and so covering a substantial amount of the groin area is flattering for any body type (an added bonus: you don’t need to get a full Hollywood wax each time you go the beach). And when a brief has sides measuring about 5 cm, both your hips and belly are covered just enough for you to be comfortable all day. Call it my personal magic formula. If you want to play around with different levels of coverage though, I suggest trying my ‘fold down briefs’. The flexible waistband of these bottoms can be folded up, covering the tummy, or folded down, leaving the tummy free and allowing you to avoid those pesky tanning lines. All those years ago in art class, I dreamt of becoming an artist. I guess in the process I also had to become a scientist and engineer. Well, I couldn’t be more proud of the results. Because I know that with my Golden Combination I can turn the beach –and the poolside of course!-, into your catwalk. Work it, you beach goddess!

Discover all my swimwear collection here!