California Apparel News

Bikinis and surfing should be a perfect match, Keri Ogden said. Even though bikinis designed for the fashion crowd look great at a poolside, they often fall off in the waves.

Ogden, a surfer and a graduate of the University of Hawaii’s law school, wanted to do something to bridge the gap between the bikini’s style and function.

The first step was to take a fashion detail, thin crisscross straps on a bikini back, and make them as sturdy as a sports bra for a ride on the waves.

With no formal fashion training, Ogden made a drawing of wide crisscross straps. She took the drawing to a manufacturer in 2013 and started building what was to become her brand, Elle Mer Swim.

The brand was formally introduced in Hawaii in January 2015. Since then she has opened a satellite office for Elle Mer in Santa Barbara, Calif., home of the famous Rincon surf break. She also started manufacturing Elle Mer’s looks in the Los Angeles area. She had investigated manufacturing the line in the surfers’ paradise of Bali.

“We source fabrics from New York, and we wanted to support domestic manufacturing. It is more expensive, but it is worth it to us,” she said.

In May, Elle Mer introduced its second collection, called Surf Candy, which features fashion-ready colors with monikers such as “Hot Guava,” “Hi-C” and “Glacier.” The line also features stylish details such as mesh inserts. For function, silhouettes are kept fitted. “Making bottoms small and tight will stay in the water better than a bigger bottom,” she said. Smaller bottoms don’t retain as much water as bigger bottoms, which contain more fabric.

Next, Ogden plans to use fabrics such as neoprene, the fundamental fabric in wet suits, for upcoming collections. She also plans to exhibit the brand at the next Surf Expo trade show in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit www.ellemerswim.com