Into the blue
March 16, 2007 | 12:00am
Four years ago everyone wore that hideous hydrangea printed bikini in acid Fido Dido colors. Today, the choices are as many as there are shakes in Jonah’s in Boracay. Personally, I got into the swimsuit business for purely selfish reasons: I couldn’t find anything dramatic to wear on the beach. I’ve been known to wear gowns at night in Bora, so having to demote myself to a simple swimsuit during the day sort of ruined my wardrobe agenda.
Today there are so many choices out there, that there are no excuses for  gasp!  blending in. "Everyone seems to be designing swimwear nowadays. In fact, we have turned into a designing populace: jewelry, shoes, bags, makeup, etc. The challenge is to stand out, keep customer loyalty, maintain quality standards. Also, most women still shy away from too-unique styles," shares Hindy Weber Tantoco of U Swim.
If there are two go-to brands for this season, they would be Hindy’s U Swim and Charina Sarte’s super-sexy Minx swimwear. "The biggest challenge for me is sourcing the best material, and getting fabric that nobody else is using," Charina says of the heat-of-summer demand. The swimwear race has never been so challenging. "If you’re gonna bare most of your body, you damn well better look good doing it. I like helping people look good. And I love the beach," Hindy says, lightly adding, "Strangers ask me all the time where I got my bikini or say ‘Thank you for making suits I can afford, but don’t make me look crass.’"
While U Swim is more sporty and casual, Minx has a decidedly more impish personality, thus the name. Both, however, offer swim goodies not for the faint of heart.
This summer Hindy recommends: "Have one good sheer cover-up, cute printed or crochet shorts, sarong pants, a giant beach-proof tote, killer shades and a wide-brimmed hat. And at least a dozen bikinis you can mix and match to get you through the summer." Sensible advice from someone who’s been burned by being too fashionable. "I once wore a very pale mauve-y pink bikini that looked great dry. But once it got wet, I looked naked! Of course, I didn’t realize this until I saw the photos much, much later," shares Hindy.
As for trends, both girls agree that the California girl look is out. "Metallics are hot. Watch out for color  my summer collection is inspired by the yummy colors of Marie Antoinette." Hindy says U Swim for this season includes "neon, sporty stripes, black and white, metallic, ‘60s to ‘80s."
As for last words, Charina says that there is nothing sexier than confidence. Hindy’s beach girl advice is a bit more detailed: "Flaunt what’s good and divert the eyes from what’s not great. Generally, printed fabrics are more body-friendly. If you’re fleshy, it doesn’t mean you need to hide everything. Sometimes, the more you cover up, the bigger you look. Triangle bikinis are a classic no-fail style. Chicken cutlets are great for enhancing next-to-nothings."
U Swim is available at Rustan’s Department Store and Minx is available at Rustan’s Department Store through Culte Femme, MIX Greenbelt, House of Laurel and Manami boutique in Boracay.
Today there are so many choices out there, that there are no excuses for  gasp!  blending in. "Everyone seems to be designing swimwear nowadays. In fact, we have turned into a designing populace: jewelry, shoes, bags, makeup, etc. The challenge is to stand out, keep customer loyalty, maintain quality standards. Also, most women still shy away from too-unique styles," shares Hindy Weber Tantoco of U Swim.
If there are two go-to brands for this season, they would be Hindy’s U Swim and Charina Sarte’s super-sexy Minx swimwear. "The biggest challenge for me is sourcing the best material, and getting fabric that nobody else is using," Charina says of the heat-of-summer demand. The swimwear race has never been so challenging. "If you’re gonna bare most of your body, you damn well better look good doing it. I like helping people look good. And I love the beach," Hindy says, lightly adding, "Strangers ask me all the time where I got my bikini or say ‘Thank you for making suits I can afford, but don’t make me look crass.’"
While U Swim is more sporty and casual, Minx has a decidedly more impish personality, thus the name. Both, however, offer swim goodies not for the faint of heart.
This summer Hindy recommends: "Have one good sheer cover-up, cute printed or crochet shorts, sarong pants, a giant beach-proof tote, killer shades and a wide-brimmed hat. And at least a dozen bikinis you can mix and match to get you through the summer." Sensible advice from someone who’s been burned by being too fashionable. "I once wore a very pale mauve-y pink bikini that looked great dry. But once it got wet, I looked naked! Of course, I didn’t realize this until I saw the photos much, much later," shares Hindy.
As for trends, both girls agree that the California girl look is out. "Metallics are hot. Watch out for color  my summer collection is inspired by the yummy colors of Marie Antoinette." Hindy says U Swim for this season includes "neon, sporty stripes, black and white, metallic, ‘60s to ‘80s."
As for last words, Charina says that there is nothing sexier than confidence. Hindy’s beach girl advice is a bit more detailed: "Flaunt what’s good and divert the eyes from what’s not great. Generally, printed fabrics are more body-friendly. If you’re fleshy, it doesn’t mean you need to hide everything. Sometimes, the more you cover up, the bigger you look. Triangle bikinis are a classic no-fail style. Chicken cutlets are great for enhancing next-to-nothings."
U Swim is available at Rustan’s Department Store and Minx is available at Rustan’s Department Store through Culte Femme, MIX Greenbelt, House of Laurel and Manami boutique in Boracay.
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