Karen Kane Swim
KAREN KANE SWIM
Diving Into Swimwear With a Splash
After more than 35 years of making women’s clothing sold in stores such as Macy’s, Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s, Karen Kane is wading into the world of swimwear.
“It feels like a natural fit,” said Michael Kane, the Los Angeles company’s director of marketing and the designer’s son. “Karen grew up in Santa Barbara, Calif., and the ocean has always had a big play on her life.”
About one year ago, Karen Kane and her crew started incubating ideas for a new swimwear collection, working with Fortune Swimwear, a Culver City, Calif., swimwear maker that will be manufacturing the line. “We tossed around some ideas we wanted to bring to the table,” Michael Kane said.
With design ideas from Karen Kane and the Fortune Swimwear staff mixed together, the
new swimwear line is debuting for Cruise 2016 with 85 pieces in 20 styles, including cover-ups. “We are focused on the fit, which is something we have always heard about from our customers,” Michael Kane said, noting the label’s sizes run from 4 to 22.
Tropical colors inspired by places such as Fiji,Tahiti, Aruba and Bermuda are the focal point for the pieces, which incorporate vivid prints. There are deep shades of blue, turquoise and teal. There are also pops of violet, pink and bright poppy as well as classic black-and-white silhouettes that evoke an era of Hollywood glamour. The suits are made of an ultra-soft tricot, and the interior lining has four-way stretch.
Silhouettes include halter bikini tops, tankinis, wrap maillots, swim dresses, swim skirts, rash
guards, and basic and high-waisted briefs. There are also wide-legged pants, kimono tunics and caftan cover-ups.
Wholesale prices range from $35 to $60. For more information, contact Caroline Hanley at (212) 944- 6695.
