From bikinis to ready-to-wear and accessories, Italian label Miss Bikini offers bold beachwear for women who like standing out from the crowd
Founded in 1989 by Andrea Teofilatto and Alessandra Piacentini, Miss Bikini has revolutionized the world of beachwear, bringing the Brazilian bikini to Italy and using innovative fabrics and prints.
If you’re over the minimalism craze and want to fully express yourself through swimwear this summer, you need Miss Bikini luxury swimwear in your wardrobe. You’ll fall in love with the brand’s colorful and exotic prints, inspired by Andrea and Alessandra’s travels around the globe.
We reached out to Miss Bikini to ask a few questions.
Tell us about the background of Miss Bikini. What inspired the launch of the brand back in 1989?
Founders Andrea Teofilatto and Alessandra Piacentini were in Sardinia, on one of the most beautiful beaches of Porto Cervo, La Celvia, when they had the idea to create a line of bold and innovative bikinis, featuring a range of prints and an original cut. So Miss Bikini was born.
All Miss Bikini collections are inspired by travels around the world: different cultures, lifestyles, and fashions. What part of the world has had the strongest influence on the brand’s styles?
Brazil was surely our first source of inspiration. It was there that we had the idea to bring the classic Brazilian swimsuit (triangle top and bikini bottom with adjustable laces) to Italy, and it was a huge success. Openness to new worlds, habits, and lifestyles is the brand’s DNA.
Why did you initially choose to base your production in Brazil? Is that where you still produce your garments today?
Initially, it was a strategic choice. Thirty years ago, when we started, Italy was one of the first producers of swimsuits, followed by Spain and China. Miss Bikini would have had a hard time emerging in this context. The choice to produce in Brazil has allowed us, a few years later, to move the production to Italy, where we are now a leading company in our sector.
How would you define Miss Bikini in three words?
Explosive, bold, and innovative. We launched pioneering models, anticipating trends, and over the years we have become a benchmark in the beachwear sector. Our pieces accompany the Miss Bikini Luxe woman from the beach during daytime, to the poolside on a summer night.
Who is the quintessential Miss Bikini woman?
A modern, intriguing woman, who doesn’t want to go unnoticed and is ready to amaze with her elegant yet anti-conformist outfits. She’s a sensual, sophisticated woman with a unique, exuberant, and refined style.
In 2007 you had your first fashion show in Milan, and in the following years your bikinis were sported by supermodels Naomi Campbell, Alek Wek, and Elisabetta Canalis, among many others. What was it like to have all that attention focused on your brand?
2007 was a special year for our brand. The Milan catwalks allowed us to enter the world of luxury fashion. Our first Fashion Week was a historical moment for the company: we got to the point of competing for the world’s most sought-after supermodels, such as Naomi Campbell and Candice Swanepoel, with Gucci and Prada.
The event was so huge that it was documented by all the newspapers and magazines in the sector. Miss Bikini offered a new, innovative vision of beachwear: a complete look for beach, cocktails and dinner. 2007 marked Miss Bikini’s official entry in the world of beachwear.
Speaking of supermodels…what does femininity mean to you?
Femininity is embodied by the Miss Bikini woman: an adventurous traveller with a strong sense of glamour, a true “Luxury Globe-Trotter”. She looks for refined materials, unique prints and clothing that accentuates and valorizes her silhouette. This is what femininity means to us.
Your aesthetic is rooted in animalier prints, tropical patterns, and bright colors. Why do you think vibrant prints are so universally appealing?
We’ve always wanted to surprise our clients, while staying coherent and recognizable at the same time. Behind every collection there’s a study on accessories, prints, fabrics. We want the soul of Miss Bikini to shine through our pieces, and vibrant prints allow clients to identify with the eccentric and innovative spirit of the brand.
Every season represents a specific mood, inspired by the newest trends but always true to the brand’s leitmotif. For instance, the forthcoming Spring-Summer 2022 collection mixes extravagant and baroque motifs with a romantic, more traditional touch.
What’s the secret behind your 30 years of success?
Resourcefulness, passion, and continuous research are the keywords. We have always looked to the future with positivity and courage, and worked hard to reach our goals, with perseverance and determination. Our choices and sacrifices have paid off. The secret, we believe, is to see difficulties as opportunities.
What are your favorite beaches in Italy? Are there any places you would suggest our readers not miss if they visit?
Choosing between the many beautiful destinations our peninsula has to offer is really difficult!
Miss Bikini has always been bound to the most prestigious jet-set destinations. That’s why our flagship stores are located in the most famous Italian and European coastal towns: Porto Cervo, Porto Rotondo, Riccione, Forte dei Marmi, Ibiza, and Cannes.
Shop the Miss Bikini beachwear collection for women.
Shop italist for up to 40% off on over 200,000 up-to-the-minute luxury fashions for women, men, and kids from leading brands like Golden Goose, Fendi, Gucci, Miu Miu, and many more—direct from Italy’s finest boutiques to your door.
About the Author
Alex English is the Head of Content Marketing at italist.com, building on a lifelong passion for fashion and luxury. After publishing a lifestyle blog for nearly ten years and obtaining an MBA in Milan at SDA Bocconi, one of Europe’s top business schools, he joined the italist team in 2019. His work since then has focused on upper-funnel messaging, brand storytelling, establishing italist as a thought leader in the space, and enriching the customer experience on the platform. Find him on LinkedIn.