Beach Riot: Wild on the Beach
Designer Nicole Hanriot gained notice by mixing core surf looks with fashion while she was swimwear designer for Tavik, a surf and skate–oriented fashion line headquartered in Irvine, Calif.—the surfwear heartland of Orange County.
Hanriot’s designs eventually found their way to one of the brightest showcases for swimwear. Some Tavik bikinis were featured in the print version of Sports Illustrated’s 2011 swimsuit issue. The honor was repeated when Hanriot’s Tavik designs were pictured in the online version of the magazine’s 2012 swimsuit issue. After those coups, Hanriot struck out on her own. She is introducing her own swimwear label, Beach Riot, at the July 21–24 run of the Miami SwimShow in Miami Beach, Fla.
The Costa Mesa, Calif.–based line’s moniker, Beach Riot, is a riff off of the designer’s last name. It’s also a mission statement. The line’s bold animal prints and 1980s-style neon looks were intended to create a stir. The line is meant to be worn on the beach—and the street—Hanriot said.
“The Beach Riot girl is bold and fashion forward, just like the name,” Hanriot said of the line, which she self-financed along with an investment from a silent investor.
At the SwimShow, Hanriot is exhibiting Beach Riot’s Spring 2013 and Summer 2013 collections, which will offer 48 and 60 pieces, respectively. The collection includes swimwear and coverups with wholesale prices from $20 for solid swimsuits to $98 for printed one-pieces.
Some of the collection’s signature pieces are the “Jane,” which was named after the character in the Tarzan books and movies. The one-piece suit is distinguished with its leopard-skin print and decorative elastic cutouts, which line both sides of the suit.
Other Beach Riot styles include pieces with a dual personality—with the front made out of a nylon/Lycra material and the back composed from a crochet material.
For more information, contact Beach Riot sales representative Kyla Brennan at (714) 488-4386 or kyla@beachriot.com.—Andrew Asch
