Hasta La Gadget!

LA Swim Week model in Pauleth Swimwear 2016 (photo:Jon Malan)

“Why should Miami be the only place to show beachwear? We have better weather anyway!” says Connie Borja, executive producer of L.A. Swim Week, which returned for the second year in Los Angeles in July and which was held in the Skirball center. The day long event was a splashing success as the attendance doubled this year from last year’s spectator headcount of 550.

The swimwear fashion show was her inspiration to secure a foothold for beachwear fashion in the city with some of the most famous beaches in the world, which amazingly, doesn’t exist in Los Angeles, but is the domain of Miami.

The one day event also had pop up shops and designers with trendy fashion selections on sale in the foyer as well as a red carpet.

Borja, who designs her own beach fashion line Amour, originally thought up the event to showcase her own fashion line, but it has blossomed beyond her expectations. “Last year we had 10 designers, this year we have 22 with three returning.” And some of those designers are heavy hitters, Leonisa, 60 years in the business returned, as well as Beachflirt22 from Greece, as well as Duskii from Australia and Sezuki Kenzo from Tokyo.

Leonisa 2016 (photos Vincente Tabora)

Beachflirt22 with designer Eleni Armaos (photo Vincente Tambora)

Ladyswim 2016 (photo: Derrick Bracks)

Pauleth Swimwear 2016 (photo: Derrick Bracks)

Sezuki Kenzo 2016 (photo: Derrick Bracks)

Duskii 2016 (photo: Philip Morton)

The event was inspiring, exciting and at times jaw dropping. The designs were thoughtful, colorful, running from riske to traditional, and always sensual, alluring and evocative.

Dustin Quick and Medi EM perform at LA Swim Week open (photo: Vincente Tabora)

Vanessa Sanchez, at 15, is a new comer to the fashion scene who launched her own swimwear line last year. ‘Nessy Swimwear’ keeps it simple, with great lines and color choices.

Nessy Swimwear 2016 (photo: Vincente Tabora)

And Amour Swimwear, bold, athletic, exciting:

Amour 2016 (photo Vincente Tabora)

“Our dream is to add more days next year, and grow to have a full week for designers who want to be known in Los Angeles.” Pop up shops and platinum level seating sold out for her event this year, proving the demand for an event like this in Los Angeles.

“We’re new, and we’re excited to create a platform where designers can get connected and come together.” Borja also had buyers from Macy’s and Diane’s swimwear in attendance so that designers could connect directly to the actual market place.

LA Swim Week is a smart and stylish addition to the LA fashion scene, one you might have expected we already had, as the beach is synonymous with all things LA,. From Malibu to Zuma down to Redondo and up to Matador we have one of the most iconic coasts in the world and now it seems we have a local fashion platform to properly strut our stuff.

For more information on LA Swim Week, recap of the event and information on some of the participating designers.

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