Acacia Swimwear: An Abbreviated Version of Swimwear
Growing up in Hawaii on the island of Maui, Naomi Newirth was sewing her own bikinis long before she started Acacia Swimwear.
But nearly two years at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles and a stint designing for an apparel company in Bali, Indonesia, led Newirth to launch Acacia Swimwear in 2008 with her friend Lyndie Irons.
Her take on swimwear is minimal. “I design for girls like myself in Hawaii. We kind of want smaller suits in Hawaii,” said the petite designer. “When I moved to California, I saw there was a demand for smaller suits.” These days, Newirth is back in her native Hawaii.
Acacia’s smaller suits mean a bottom that shows a little more skin than most, taking a low-cut Italian bikini and blending it with a flirty Brazilian fit.
Newirth, who manufactures her suits in Bali, designs her own prints and printed linings, made from Italian fabrics that are 80 percent nylon and 20 percent spandex.
One element she has incorporated in her line are crochet accents, such as a crocheted back on a one-piece or a crocheted strap on a two-piece, a fashion twist that is selling well.
Popular prints have been a subtle snake print and a zigzag chevron design. Colors are vibrant but not too gaudy. They are incorporated into bikini silhouettes that, in the 2012 season, will see some high-waist bottoms that have more fabric but still have that Brazilian cut in back.
Wholesale price points for bikini sets and onepieces range from $80 to $95. Newirth said the suits have been selling at a number of specialty stores and at online stores including www.revolveclothing.com and www.butterfliesandbikinis.com.
For more information, send an email to info@acaciaswimwear.com. —Deborah Belgum
