If your surname is Hadid, Jenner or Lipa, a summer season break isn’t a lot switching in your out-of-office for one treasured week however a seemingly countless stretch of solar and sea. And whereas the backdrops of their photograph “dumps” on Instagram would possibly range, from the pristine deck of a personal yacht to a no-filter-necessary seashore shack, what their vacation snaps have in frequent is their swimwear.
When Kylie Jenner posted a mirror selfie of a polka-dot two-piece — caption: “italian summer yes pleaseeee 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍” — the bikini in query was by Frankies Bikinis. (In reality, it was part of a collaboration between the swimwear brand and Jenner’s personal label Khy.)
Frankie Bikinis was additionally the official uniform at a latest getaway hosted by Hailey Bieber’s magnificence brand Rhode in Mallorca, the place a bevy of bikini-clad influencers celebrated Rhode’s new citrusy lip tint with on-theme swimwear (some wore Frankies’ Kealy bikini set in a delectably Instagrammable shade referred to as “yellow iris”). Dua Lipa, who has been photographed in Italy with fiancé Callum Turner this summer season, packed a black quantity from Frankies (a collaboration with trend label Réalisation Par, it fastens between the cups with a crocheted pair of cherries). Meanwhile, a Frankies Bikinis set lately worn by Sabrina Carpenter is kind of actually an itty-bitty, teenie-weenie, yellow polka dot bikini.
Frankies Bikinis’ USP is the plain skimpy issue, which, maybe unsurprisingly, was the launchpad for Francesca Aiello, who co-founded the label together with her mom, Mimi, in 2012. The Malibu native resorted to creating her personal bikinis in highschool as a result of she couldn’t discover something on-brand sufficient. “I wanted to feel cute, confident, and feminine in my swim. The tinier, the better. That mindset still inspires the brand today,” she advised NCS.
Aiello’s life outdoors college revolved round ocean actions, from junior lifeguarding to browsing to water-polo apply, which meant a bikini was all the time ready on her passenger seat and turned a form of second pores and skin. Aiello took her uniform severely from the beginning. “I was driving downtown almost every day, sourcing fabrics, meeting with sample sewers, pattern makers, and trying to find local factories that could bring my vision to life. It was all trial and error.” Aiello’s vary of bikini types range, although a number of include cups the scale of tortilla chips and high-cut bottoms that soar in direction of the hip bones. “People were judgmental of my skimpy bikinis in the beginning… Until they wanted one for themselves,” she mentioned.
The newfound reputation of Frankies Bikinis, which has expanded into clothes, equipment and activewear as of 2019, follows a rising choice lately for one-piece swimsuits. The tide now seems to be turning, in keeping with Grace Neal, Selfridges’ shopping for supervisor for denim, physique and activewear, noting that gross sales of bikinis and swim separates are at present outperforming one-piece swimwear.
The bikini’s versatility is a robust promoting level. “The ability to mix and match sizes, styles, and colors adds to the bikini’s appeal, especially as self-expression becomes increasingly important to consumers,” noticed Fflur Roberts, head of luxurious items at analysis agency Euromonitor International. “Many people also wear bikini tops as standalone fashion items, further blurring the lines between swimwear and everyday apparel,” she added.
“For me, skimpy bikinis aren’t a trend, they’re a lifestyle,” mentioned Aiello. “It’s about owning your confidence and feeling empowered in whatever you’re wearing.”
In 2022, Victoria’s Secret acquired a minority curiosity in Frankies Bikinis, investing $18 million within the course of (Aiello described it as her “biggest pinch-me moment,” including, “I grew up shopping there from the time I was 12 so it felt incredibly full circle.”) Online trend retailer ASOS started to inventory the brand in 2024. Brands director Shazmeen Malik applauded Frankies Bikinis for being “committed to crafting styles that make women feel more confident.” She added that its “iconic collab moments, limited collections and curated drops keep it feeling exciting.”
Indeed, whereas Frankies Bikinis’ roster of collaborators is spectacular (Sydney Sweeney, Sofia Richie Grainge and Pamela Anderson, to call a couple of), Aiello admits that it wasn’t a part of her authentic marketing strategy.
“Collaborations weren’t really a thing back in 2012,” she mentioned. “When Sofia Richie approached me about designing a collection together, I couldn’t say no. The most rewarding part is bringing someone’s vision to life and creating something that feels personal to both of us,” mentioned Aiello, who has subsequently change into her personal poster lady. In the Frankies Bikinis x Khy marketing campaign, Aiello poses side-by-side with Jenner, each sporting leopard-spotted collab bikinis. Kendall Jenner’s remark beneath an Instagram publish selling the launch mentioned all of it: “hot”.
Despite the label’s latest success, Aiello hopes to keep up a private connection together with her followers, in addition to discovering new ones. “My biggest goal is to continue growing our swim and apparel lines and reach more women around the world,” mentioned Aiello. “I want every girl to feel like there’s a Frankies Bikinis piece made just for her.”