Beachwear that looks the business

New swimwear label Ava Verdú’s sculptural, supportive design tech

Ann-Marie Buckley, founder and CEO of new beachwear label Ava Verdú, intends to do for women’s swimwear what Adam Brown did for men’s swimming trunks – take a practical item and marry it with flattering and chic design technology. “I focused on design that would ensure each piece would become a staple in a summer wardrobe,” says Buckley. “I wanted to create swimwear that was timeless and would last.”

Buckley, who trained at the London College of Fashion and worked for Browns and Hunter, has taken an architectural approach to her designs, starting with the foundations. The lightweight Italian-made stretch fabric has UV40+ SPF protection, excellent shape retention and integrated rapiDRY technology to speed up the drying process post-swim.

The collection of 27 pieces (from £235 for a bikini) is divided into six key styles, all sharing a sleek, smart silhouette with elements of colour blocking. Innovative structure includes boning to the side of the chest for support, along with moulded cups. “Power” mesh smooths and sculpts, while lining enhances the fit and centre-back seaming on the bikini bottoms provides a lower-body lift. Designs such as the Alpha also have a high tapered bikini line to elongate the leg. Lastly, the stingray logo that forms a key part of the design of each piece is handmade from zamak – a zinc-based alloy that is heat-averting, as well as resistant to seaweed and chlorine.