Over the last four years, the brand has been diversifying its range of products and for spring/summer 2013 it offers linen beach towels, short-sleeved cotton polo shirts and long-sleeved shirts in either cotton or linen, wood surfboards and sets to play Frescobol (the popular Brazilian beach sport that gave the name to the brand and is best described as a relaxed version of tennis or squash) comprising rubber balls and racquets hand-made from remnants of Brazilian woods used in the industrial production of furniture.

However, the highlight of Frescobol Carioca is undoubtedly its attractive swimwear. Bikini sets for women are offered in three styles of block colours, whereas men’s swimming trunks (named after popular Brazilian beaches) come as sports, tailored and limited edition styles, in a range of block colours or patterned versions.

For the moment, Frescobol Carioca is stocked in a select group of stores, resorts and beach clubs, including Harrods and Selfridges in London; The Conran Shop in London, Paris and Tokyo; Le Bon Marche in Paris; Lane Crawford in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing; Neiman Marcus in Miami, Palm Beach, Bal Habour, San Diego and Honolulu; and at the Copabana Palace hotel in its hometown of Rio de Janeiro. However, and as its popularity slowly increases, The Style Examiner expects Frescobol Carioca to garner many more followers worldwide.

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This effect is achieved by applying the brand’s patented AngleFit technology (which was developed over three years by a team of pattern cutters, a tailor and an anthropologist) that factors in the roundness of the wearer’s buttocks to create a snug second skin of fabric. AngleFit is divided into three options to address different body shapes (135° Slim, 115° Average, 95° Full) and create three different models of the same style that stretch comfortably over the natural curves of the body to create a flattering silhouette.

Curious about this new line of beachwear for men, I got hold of the D.Hedral Hector trunk in black and from the moment that I tried it on, I could see how D.Hedral’s products have gained their reputation of enhancing the male silhouette. The shape I went for (Average at 115°) not only felt snug but it also highlighted the contour of the buttocks and thighs (making them look more muscular, in fact) while keeping the fabric in place. After trying the D.Hedral Hector, I have no doubt that D.Hedral beachwear deserves to become a popular option for men who do not compromise on style and comfort on the beach or by the pool.

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As a collective noun used to define clothes and accessories generally worn on casual occasions (normally holidays) by the swimming pool and the beach or on a boat or yacht at sea, beachwear is normally (and naturally) a more popular concept in seaside resorts that benefit from frequent warm weather. It follows, then, that the nebulous identity of beachwear as a category within the fashion industry is directly related to the geographical location and weather of the places where most fashion is created: consumers of designs originating from cities like London, Paris, Milan or New York (where cold seasons can be prolonged) may not see the need to purchase many items of beachwear; instead, they may only buy one or two swimsuits a year. As a consequence, very few designers tend to focus exclusively on beachwear and, therefore, it is not unusual for the majority of fashion weeks not to include collections devoted entirely to beachwear.

However, markets such as Latin America, Australia and parts of the USA (namely Florida) have witnessed a significant growth in this area, with prolific designers showcasing their beachwear collections during Miami and Rio de Janeiro fashion weeks. In Brazil, where beachwear is a sartorial force to reckon with and an individual consumer can purchase large quantities of different swimsuits and bikinis per season, many designers have focussed their collections on this fashion specialism. However, very few have attained the popularity and esteemed reputation for creativity achieved by Lenny Niemeyer.

Niemeyer started her career as a designer of bikinis and swimsuits for other brands in 1993. Ten years later, she founded her eponymous label and opened her first store in the affluent neighbourhood of Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro. Since then, she has developed a network of stockists that comprise 18 freestanding Lenny Niemeyer stores in Brazil and influential international retailers such as Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Au Bon Marche, Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. She started showing her collections on the runway of Fashion Rio in 1997, and has been a regular (and much anticipated) participant ever since.

For her Spring/Summer 2014 collection, shown during Fashion Rio in April 2013, Niemeyer found inspiration in the visual effects that light creates when it reflects on different textures. In addition to single-toned garments where white, black and caramel predominated, the collection featured prints with ombré effects and layers of colours and textures in Lycra fabrics worked across original asymmetric shapes. The result was a highly accomplished range of beachwear pieces with distinctive details such as ruffles on skirts and bikini tops, high collars and voluminous sleeves in swimsuits and dresses. Even though the most common opinion that followed the show was that the pieces displayed had been produced exclusively for the runway and not for her stores, there was no doubt that Lenny Niemeyer’s Spring/Summer 2014 collection went beyond having an advertorial purpose to ultimately confirm her most gifted creative talent as a fashion designer.

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Under the creative direction of Thomaz and Sharon Azulay (whose father David Azulay founded the label in the early 1970s by selling the original – and now iconic – side-tied bikini), the collection explored the combination of typically Brazilian fauna and flora with Baroque ornaments found in Portuguese tiles and palace architecture as a reflection of the historical period when the Portuguese court settled in Brazil to escape the Napoleonic invasions and made Rio de Janeiro the capital of the empire. The result achieved by Blue Man was an exciting range of swimwear, beachwear, footwear and accessories in bright colours and detailed patterns that, while combining Rio urban beach culture and historical references, will undoubtedly prove to become popular when they hit the stores later in the year.

For Spring/Summer 2014, Blue Man promises fluid pieces in transparent silk for lounging on the beach or by the pool that contrast with structured shoulder and waist lines in bathing suits, shirts and dresses. The influence of Hawaiian surf prints and the brand’s seminal relaxed approach to swimwear can be noticed in frayed denim bikinis and in bodysuits with vivid colours and patterns. And to anchor the lighter fabrics and cheerful designs, Lycra, denim and neoprene provide a successful balance to a collection that had the audience delirious and looking forward to another hot Rio Summer.

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