At the beginning of 2021, Andréa Bernholtz, founder of the Calabasas, Calif., swimwear brand Swiminista,forecasted how consumers would begin moving away from the seclusion that defined 2020, drawn outdoors by nature’s beauty. Dressing these customers for the beach was a task that Bernholtz welcomed, particularly due to a new collaboration between Swiminista and the House of Christian Lacroix.

The House of Christian Lacroix x Swiminista collection saw Bernholtz sourcing prints from the venerated fashion house. The designs from the first collection and the subsequent releases relayed the artistic qualities of Lacroix, blending them with the Swiminista mission to create comfortable swimwear for women in eco-friendlier fabrications.

Swiminista carries swimsuits up to a DD cup, and Bernholtz designed hardware in a UV-protected, custom matte finish that prevents those details from burning the skin. Adjustable features, such as tops that secure around the back, not the neck, still afford the look of a halter. The Swiminista brand is created using textiles that are made from yarns based on recycled water bottles, but Bernholtz’s eco initiatives expand well beyond the manufacturing of her brand’s swim pieces into the outdoors, where she hopes her swimwear will be enjoyed. Throughout the year, Bernholtz organizes beach cleanups as she believes “Earth Day is every day.”

“I can’t be everything to everyone, but I can be a lot of things to a lot of people,” Bernholtz said. “Some brands have adjustable styles. Some brands have pieces that are eco-friendly. All of our styles have some sort of adjustability or some sort of problem solving to them. All of our materials, down to our packaging and the pantyliners in the suits, are all compostable or recyclable.”