A good swimsuit is the pillar of many Australian wardrobes. It can withstand sun, sand, chlorine and tomato sauce spills. It can make you feel a million bucks. A good swimsuit is also incredibly versatile. It can double as a party outfit when days by the ocean drift into nights in the club. Wear it under your sheer dresses, hiking or even gardening? It's your party. Given our sun-baked lifestyle, it should come as no surprise that Australian designers do swimwear extremely well. Best of all, one might argue. Below, our pick of the best Australian swimwear labels.

 

1. Bondi Born

Elegant, sophisticated swimwear and resort wear using high quality fabrics and premium local craftsmanship. Each piece is sleek, minimal, and crafted in a way that makes the wearer feel secure and confident with a strong commitment to sustainability and B Corporation certification. Bondi Born caters to a range of sizes, so for those with a bigger bust looking for something elevated and chic, Bondi Born is the one for you.

2. Matteau

With a simple and considered ethos and swimwear that will last almost a lifetime, the Matteau manifesto is easy: silhouettes that will be forever relevant to reduce consumption and boost confidence. Founded by sisters Ilona Hamer and Peta Heinsen, the duo offer easy shapes reinforced by quality fabrications meaning that Matteau is hard to move past.

3. Sauce Swim

Sauce Swim is the new kid on the block, made from regenerated nylon using post-consumer materials that fill our oceans and landfill, like old fishing nets and forgotten clothes. Sauce is small run and minimal waste, making each suit just a little extra special, not to mention cute. For those looking for itsy bitsy bikinis that aren't boring, Sauce have you covered.

4. She Made Me

For the nostalgic ones. She Made Me swimwear is handmade crochet swim crafted by artisans in Bali, a brand that nods to the 70s and instils a beautiful, human connection within each piece. Although the garments are crafted in Bali, the brand is based in Byron Bay.

5. Sir The Label

Known for its romantic ready to wear collections, SIR has expanded into swimwear, and it's exactly as good as you'd imagine. Clean considered lines and cuts set the mood for nostalgic and swim sets and one pieces you'll be wearing for years to come. With founders hailing from Sydney, you'll be strapped to find anything more suited to Australian summer. From balconette bras and high-waisted bottoms to flossy string bikinis, there's something for everyone.

 

6. Zulu & Zephyr

 

Another born in Bondi Beach, Zulu & Zephyr is a seasoned classic. Owned and operated by a small team of creatives, founders Candice and Karla Rose's Zulu & Zephyr is an ode to the modern woman and beach culture. It caters to bigger busts, which is a refreshing point of difference too.

7. Fella Swim

With an emphasis on fit, simplicity and fabric, FELLA celebrates the female form with premium swimwear that enhances and endures. Informed by the body and influenced by art, life and the world, FELLA’s designs blend retro nostalgia with crisp, clean lines.

8. Triangl

If you have a penchant for colour and print, Triangl is your ticket. Stringy styles that cover the bare minimum, balconettes, and high-waisted bottoms, for those wanting to bring colour into their swim wardrobes, Triangl is a one-stop-shop. You'll be hard pressed not to find a fun style with Triangl.

 

9. Jets

An Australian swim staple for over 20 years, Jets is a constant for many. Offering design-led innovation, attention to detail & quality craftsmanship, sophisticated and effortless pieces arrive to make the modern woman look and feel their best season after season. Sleek and timeless in design, Jets is the most reliable out there for quality and streamlined pieces.

 

10. Christopher Esber

Another non-exclusively swimwear brand, Christopher Esber's eponymous label has branched into swimwear that takes cues from his bikini-tie inspired ready-to-wear pieces. Elevated beachwear intended to melt into your wardrobe.

 

11. Erth Swim

Classic silhouettes and timeless staples made of micro Recycled PA, Italian Luxe Fabric, ethically crafted for women by women in Bali, Indonesia. Nicole Trunfio's styles celebrate, sculpt, and protect the form while aiming to leave as little environmental impact as possible.

12. Myra Swim

Sleek lines and warm neutrals are the fundamentals of Myra swim. Created with an intention to celebrate all bodies, Myra draws inspiration from 80s and 90s silhouettes applies with modern fabrications and ideals. The best of both worlds, simplified.

13. Seafolly

A classic through and through. If Seafolly doesn't spark memories of spending hours on the beach until the sun dips behind the hill, we don't know what will. Intended for all bodies and all personalities, Seafolly offers an extensive range of prints and cuts for the perfect pairing.

 

14. Bamba Swim

Designed by a small team of creatives that grew up along the coastal borders of Western Australia, Bamba swim is imbued with motifs of 80s silhouettes and prints. Leopard, Hawaiian, and Zebra prints mix with neon block colours and trims for the most fun you've had in a bikini in a while. If you're pining for a hot girl summer, Bamba Swim is the way to prepare.

15. Ephemera

Romantic silhouettes and prints are what makes Ephemera so...ephemeral. Founder Nicole Banning comes from a luxury design background that includes a stint as a designer at Saint Laurent. This experience supports the brand’s mission to create beautiful, must-have pieces that are executed to the highest technical standard.

16. Aexae

 

Fundamentals reimagined. Sleek and classic silhouettes are the building blocks of the Aexae DNA, backed up by a commitment to the earth with swim made from recycled and sustainable fabrics only. Using a polyester fabric for its swimwear that is 100% recycled and made from plastic bottles, fishing nets and waste from landfill and oceans from around the world. With Aexae, not only can you trust in quality production, but in timeless, simple bikinis you'll come back to over again.

17. Lahana Swim

Fun, youthful swimwear that takes cues from 80s high-cut silhouettes married with minimal shapes. For those looking to inject unabashed sensuality and colour into their swimwear wardrobe's, this one's for you.

18. Tigerlily

For those with more bohemian tendencies, Tigerlily will never fail you. Classic swim shapes imbued with quietly busy prints, Tigerlily will transport you elsewhere. One of the most recognised Australian swim names on the market, your Tigerlily piece will be instantly recognizable.

19. Peony Swimwear

Can't go past a classic. Feminine silhouettes and floral prints bring us back to the Peony namesake time and time again. As part of the brand design language, peony champions sustainability and is the eco-pioneer in the swimwear category. All peony pieces are made entirely from recycled and sustainable fabrications; this includes all printed fabrics, custom main fabrics and inner linings.

 

20. Palm Swimwear

Made to order swimwear that embodies joyfulness and youth. Palm swimwear aims to be modern yet classic, unique yet transcendental, high-quality yet sustainable; duality than can be achieved in a modern making age. Core fabric is made from recycled Italian ECONYL® fibres which is a material regenerated from waste plastics and old fishing nets to create a fabric that is fully and endlessly regenerable.

 

21. RAQ

As the name suggests, RAQ Apparel is all about supporting you where you need it most: your boobs. For the longest time, larger-breasted people were excluded from accessing cute, edgy and flattering swimsuits because the industry didn't care enough to cater to cup sizes above a C. Melbourne-based founder, Sophia Argyropoulos, set a new standard when she launched RAQ, a swimsuit brand with a stylish offering that caters to an overwhelming 56 size range. How's that for putting your money where your mouth is.

 

22. Form and Fold

Another example of an Australian brand that goes above and beyond when it comes to fit. Form and Fold is based out of Melbourne and helmed by Carly Warson and Stephanie Korn, lifelong friends who bonded over their shared frustration at the lack of choice for people with D+ cup sizes. Not only have they created a range of swimsuits exclusively for D+ breasts, but they've made them flattering and functional too.

 

23. Hakea Swim

Hakea Swim prefaces that it's made for "water women". Those who are active, spending their days in the surf or running along the beach, and so these swimsuits are made with movement in mind. They're practical, but not dowdy. Stylish, but will stay on when you come off your board. Plus, Hakea Swim designs chic rashie swim tops, for those conscious about the potent Australian UV rays.

 

24. Camp Cove Swim

When Katherine Hampton founded Camp Cove Swim in 2013, otherwise known as the peak of Instagram swimsuit brand days, her cozzies were like a cleansing sorbet. With fun prints, cheeky, flattering cuts, and a sustained commitment to manufacturing in Jervis Bay on New South Wales' South Coast, a decade later Camp Cove Swim remains unmatched.

 

Images: @raqapparel @formandfold @formandfold