Minimalism battles maximalism in SS21 swimwear demand says Stylight

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
May 4, 2021

Summer holidays may have been off the agenda for the past year, but with more international consumers believing they really will be able to go on holiday in 2021, swimwear trends have come to the fore again. And it seems the year really is about the clash between miminalism and maximalism.

According to Stylight, which analysed the search and browser behaviour of 120 million international users, those interested in buying swimwear this year are veering towards maximalist retro prints, colour and print blocking, as well as minimalist basic styles or interesting cuts that really make an impact.

In fact, it has seen clicks on retro print swimsuits rising 1,000%. That said, it's not the only big trend as clicks on colour block swimsuits are also up 1,000%. This is a trend that was seen in many spring collections and Stylight said that retro patchwork-style swimwear that features either colour-blocking or print blocking is likely to be everywhere this summer. Print-blocking takes the maximalist trend to extremes as a variety of extreme print contrasts turn up on single items.

Interestingly too, clicks on gingham print swimwear have risen 132% (which could also be part of the retro trend). And that favourite colour of the 1970s – brown – is also riding high with a 113% rise in clicks on brown bikinis. It's a complete contrast to the pastel and neon shades that have attracted most attention in recent years.

In terms of the most popular styles, there haven't been any 1,000% increases in clicks, but ‘basic’ — or minimalist — swimsuit interest has risen 316%. More and more consumers are searching for quite simple styles with classically-cut bikinis or open back one-pieces proving popular.

And there’s also a trend for interesting cuts as asymmetrical swimwear has seen a 230% rise with the one-shoulder swimsuit a key piece. Swimsuits with cutouts — from small keyholes to larger cutouts — also appear to be popular with a 182% uplift. And talking of uplift, clicks on underwired swimsuits have risen 68%.

Importantly as well, a number of brands are making a bigger impact due to their sustainability credentials. Portuguese brand Casa Raki has seen clicks rising 215% as it promotes sustainability and reuse of waste materials. Black-owned brand Jade Swim also uses sustainable fabrics and has seen its clicks and searches rising 68%, while Fisch is up 39%. The brand uses recycled nylon materials.