Waterwear 2011 1 Sol Swimwear: Finding Your Inner Soul

The contemporary woman is the focus of 1 Sol Swimwear, which launched in September 2010 with the idea of making stylish suits designed and sewn in Southern California.

Designer Jennifer Pyle, who attended the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, works in a small studio tucked behind a large embroidery and embellishment factory in the industrial neighborhood of Vernon, Calif.

The embroidery factory is the hub for stitching the intricate pocket designs and other details on high-end denim labels such as Citizens of Humanity and 7 For All Mankind. But denim wasn’t enough. The factory owners, brothers David and Azad Shalom, wanted to start a swimwear company to round out some of the embellishment services their company, Basic Line Inc., had to offer.

The result is a sophisticated line of beautifully crafted swimsuits that don’t go wild on embellishments but have enough delicate details to make them attractive.

“We focus on handcrafting our garments and doing embellishments,” Pyle said. “We are trying to stay away from the trend of being flashy, which is on its way out.”

Pyle said the Spring/Summer 2011 collection has 37 silhouettes and 22 coverups.

Silhouettes vary from off-the-shoulder looks and Grecian tops to shirred tops and bottoms.

Colors range from metallic blues and coppers to bright teals, blacks and whites. Pyle uses light nylon/spandex fabrics made domestically that feel silky and are easy to drape. Most of the swimsuits, which retail from $150 to $179, are sold primarily in swimwear boutiques and hotel resort shops.

For more information, call (323) 973-1855 or visit www.1solswimwear.com.—Deborah Belgum