Womens Swimwear S/S 2026 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Women’s swimwear continues to be a standout growth category within the board sports market. With more women in the water, and brands meeting their values with their designs, the sell-through potential is high. By Rocio Enriquez.
The overall women’s swimwear market is strong and consistently expanding. In the board sports industry, this category leads the growth charts within the larger apparel ecosystem. With strong margins and broad marketing potential, women’s swimwear plays a crucial role in keeping brands relevant. This is a product that meets all the important consumer demands at once. The post-pandemic mentality has driven more women to the ocean seeking fitness, freedom and a deeper connection to nature. There is also growing awareness around the environment, body inclusivity, and functionality. New highly technical and sustainable fabrics with mindful designs are ticking these boxes. Social media influencers spread the news of these innovations quickly and authentically. Current trends reflect these values. It is hard to find a piece that is not made with some kind of recycled or eco-friendly fabric. Functionality and versatility lead design purpose. Some pieces can equally be used in the gym or in the water. Some bathing suits become a bodysuit when the sun sets. Constructions account for body inclusivity with flattering designs, internal support, and extended size ranges. On top of these “must-have” features, ladies are leaning towards statement looks. Bold prints, textured fabrics, and a retro surf culture inspiration dominate the aesthetics. The one-piece is the most popular shape, offering flattering sculpting capabilities and a fusion of fashion and comfort. Triangle tops remain key, particularly adjustable ones. There is a preference for cheeky bottoms and high leg cuts. Mix-and-match offerings are well rewarded due to their personalisation options.
Looks.
SS26 collections are driven by emotional storytelling. Three main colour and print trends stand out: a celebration of nature and coastal living, nostalgia for past decades, and a youthful energy boost. Earthy, organic colours dominate the colour palettes. They reflect the natural elements of the beach, imbuing the collections with a sense of calm and connection to nature. Oxbow uses brown and earthy red. Rhythm’s rich browns are the foundational element in every collection. Lightning Bolt works with mineral greens, warm sand beiges, and terracotta hues. Barts evokes the natural elements with prints like foliage, earthy geometrics, minimalist florals, soft animal prints, swirls, and stripes. Protest also uses prints like flowing waves, and coastal natural motifs. The glowing summer sunset light is reflected with colours like gold, warm orange, or peachy pink. There is a strong presence of retro colour and print stories that celebrate the beach life heritage. Faded stripes, vintage-inspired graphics, and washed tones nod to the surf culture of the 90s and early 00s. “We embrace the retro waves with an 80s inspired surf collection with strong graphics and a bold colour palette”, says Charlotte Lefrançois from Rip Curl. Youthful energy is injected through the strategic use of bright tones. They are often combined with neutrals or dark tones, an aesthetic that appeals particularly to younger women.
Barts features the Camelia, an eye-catching colour inspired by digital brights. “Our timeless and sophisticated dark tones are paired with vibrant blue-lilac and a spark of peachy pink”, says Marketing Manager Kenny Janmaat. Oxbow goes bright with a strong flower overall print with a cool gradient effect. Billabong offers hand-drawn tropical florals, Mediterranean prints, and bold placement prints with vibrant hues of pink and aqua green. Across all aesthetics, one feature remains key: mix-and-match coordination. It increases value for money and personalisation, especially if the tonal consistency is kept across swimwear, beachwear, and accessories. Barts, Protest, and Rip Curl embrace this strategy.
Shapes.
Swimwear design is mainly focused on sculpting and shaping pieces. They enhance the feminine figure while offering support, contributing to body confidence. This could explain the ongoing increasing popularity of the one piece, the silhouette that best meets this purpose. Swimsuits blend function and fashion in a versatile range from sexy to sporty, catering to different customer needs. Billabong, Lightning Bolt, Barts, and Protest position the one-piece as a hero item. Barts has added a sexier version of their popular Plunge shaping one piece, with high legs and cheeky bum. Oxbow expands the concept. “We introduce a new onesie style with a full long sleeve for sun protection, but with a trendy shape”, announces Product Manager Thomas Chastol. Retro influences remain strong. Many designs aimed for nostalgic appeal offer sculpting benefits too. Billabong, Barts, and Protest channel this vintage charm. “Sharp curves and high-leg silhouettes elongate the body and add a daring, sexy edge”, says Billabong’s Design Manager, Isabelle Weppe. “We added a sexy, cheeky high-waist piece that covers the belly area but emphasises on bum and leg”, explains Kenny Janmaat. Practical silhouettes remain prominent in collections thought for active use and all-day wear. Women who surf, swim, or train outdoors demand designs that move with them. High support, freedom of movement and comfort are essential.
Lightning Bolt, Protest, Oxbow, and Barts offer many options in this space. “Our designs ensure secure support, combining true freedom of movement with elegant confidence”, says Lightning Bolt’s Brand Manager, Brianna Moore. Mix-and-match modularity helps customise the fit as well as the look, ensuring the right support and coverage for each part of the body. Protest and Lightning Bolt highlight this feature. “Whether you prioritise comfort, elegant details, or supportive halter styles, we have options for everyone”, says Cassandra Panayotopoulos from Protest.
Materials.
Regenerated polyamides and polyesters are now the industry standard. Durability bridges the demand for sustainability and performance. Consumers expect swimwear that lasts, performs under pressure, and resists wear from salt, sun, and chlorine. Technical resilience cannot compromise comfort, though. Pieces that do not dig, dry quickly, and stay where they belong allow for carefree, all-day activity. Soft and natural feeling fabrics make the experience far more pleasurable. Fabric looks are then elevated through texture. “From wavy effect and crochet-inspired details to striped sun faded hues and mini waves checks, every piece is crafted to bring depth and dimension to your beach look”, says Isabelle Weppe.
Sustainability.
Sustainability now extends well beyond recycled fabrics. Brands are embracing end-to-end strategies that address product design, production methods, supply chain ethics, and packaging. Lightning Bolt integrates sustainability into every stage. “Local production in Portugal, European-sourced recycled and organic materials, small-batch collections to avoid over production, and designs built for timeless wear”, says Brianna Moore. Reducing transport emissions while improving oversight of labour conditions is important for Oxbow too. They produce in Tunisia and focus on localised sourcing. “Being a BCorp company, we are heavily involved in increasing the sustainability of our products”, says Thomas Chastol. Barts emphasises supplier accountability and ethical standards. They prioritise partners who align with their values of fair working conditions and environmental impact reduction.
Retailer support.
Next summer’s marketing stories will be themed around nature, beach life, nostalgia for good old days, and youthful energy. The synergy of diverse support platforms carries the message to the consumer in a consistent and timely manner. POS materials play a big role. All participating brands offer some sort of display and visual assets. Lightning Bolt curates their visual assets for their placement and provides merchandising guides for their POS kits. The packaging contributes to reinforcing the message, particularly the sustainability one. Oxbow delivers their swimwear in an innovative, reusable pouch made with recycled fabrics. Brick and mortar efforts are backed by awareness in the digital world. Social media activation amplifies the marketing stories. In addition to these proven retail support methods, each brand sprinkles in their own ideas of support. Rhythm activates gift-for-purchase programmes and invests in pop-ups to push the brand’s awareness. Barts coordinates their swimwear and accessories lines thoughtfully, so they complement each other, boosting sales of both. They also offer flexible re-ordering options throughout the season, with quick delivery from their in-house warehouse. Protest offers their retailers customised marketing activities. SS26 collections reflect a powerful convergence of functionality, sustainability, and style. The category continues to grow, driven by an increasingly active and values-conscious consumer. Women’s swimwear is a product that inspires as much as it performs, a winning combination for healthy sales.
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