Designer Spotlight: Bareminimale

When you think of great swimwear, do you think of Canada? I’m betting probably not, but that might change when you learn about Toronto’s Bareminimale. This up-and-coming brand from the North is making huge waves in the fashion industry with its nostalgic and feminine swimsuits. Dedicated to sustainability, this trendy company makes all of its designs in small batches, eliminating unnecessary waste. 

This sustainable womenswear brand has been seen in major publications like British Vogue and Sports Illustrated, and in TV shows like HBO’s Euphoria and ABC’s The Bachelor. Celebrities also adore this chic Canadian brand. You can find countless images of stars like Olivia Jade, Tammy Hembrow (our cover image), Meghan Fox, and Nadia Lee Cohen wearing Bareminimale’s colorful swimsuits on social media.

Although Bareminimale has already had plenty of much-deserved success, there is no doubt that they will achieve even bigger things in the coming years. Get to know Bareminimale with our latest designer spotlight.

The History of Bareminimale

Founded in 2018 by Catherine Scola, Bareminimale has always been true to its values as a sustainable brand, even as it grew into a much larger brand. Bareminimale quickly gained momentum and in 2022, their apparel was worn by lead character Cassie Howard in the hit HBO TV show, Euphoria.

Played by actress Sydney Sweeney,  this feminine character wore Bareminimale’s coveted Yours Truly sweatshirt during the series’ most climatic episodes. Vogue India later dissected this costume choice in their incredible article, “Decoding every outfit on season 2 of Euphoria” where they spoke with stylists Heidi Bivens and Angelina Vitto. British Vogue also spotlighted this Canadian brand in a since-deleted piece from 2022.

That same year, model Hillory Fields made her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit debut as a finalist for their 2022 Swim Search in a gorgeous Bareminimale bikini. Known for their sexy, retro-inspired style, Bareminimale has become a go-to designer for Sports Illustrated and appeared again in the publication in 2023, this time on the legendary beauty and actress, Megan Fox.

This year promises to be another major period of growth for Bareminimale as its designs were worn by audience favorite, Maria Georgas, on ABC’s reality show The Bachelor. Today, Bareminimale continues to create fashion-forward swimwear and apparel sustainably from Toronto, Canada.

Bareminimale’s Influences

Bareminimale embraces its retro influences with vintage floral prints and silhouettes from the 1980s and 1990s. The Canadian brand seeks to encapsulate the essence of femininity while combining sustainable and small-batch practices.

This love affair with swimwear from the 80’s and 90’s is all over social media with the high-cut swim bottoms of that era becoming a staple for influencers and models alike. The textile selection for Bareminimale with its bright colors and florals makes it a unique take on this popular swimsuit trend.

The detailed patterns elevate Bareminimale’s styles and give it a much-needed edge over other swimwear brands. The combination of Bareminimale’s beautiful designs and eye-catching fabric makes it feel fresh and editorial, not like something you found at the bottom of your mom’s swimsuit drawer. If you enjoy the aesthetic branding of nostalgic companies like Vacation Inc. and old Sex and the City reruns, you will adore the swimwear offerings from Bareminimale.

Spotlight on Bareminimale’s Designs

Bareminimale is truly an aspirational swimwear brand, not just because of its elite clientele, but because of the worldview expressed in their designs. In a time of global chaos and shared seriousness, Bareminimale and its colorful designs are a visual oasis. Sustainably and ethically made in Toronto, these bikinis and one-pieces are feminine and fun. Inspired by 1980s and 1990s nostalgia, these romantic swimsuits feel like they belong at Club Med or on a Caribbean honeymoon during those two carefree decades.

On vacations, we’re looking for an escape from our daily lives and these Bareminimale designs are brimming with optimism without losing their sex appeal and editorial look. Since each swim style is made to order (production doesn’t start for Bareminimale until an order is processed) there is an air of couture with this swim brand as each piece is made to order.

Definitely order weeks before your vacation as it takes time to create and ship their designs. Due to this stringent eco-friendly practice, Bareminimale only sells its swimsuits directly to consumers. It will be interesting to see how they navigate this practice as they increase in popularity and major retailers approach them about selling to their customers. Regardless, these nostalgic styles are unique, gorgeous, and destined to become even more popular.

The Sexy Santa Cruz Bikini

Worn by sexy Megan Fox for the iconic Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, this Santa Cruz Classic Triangle Top and matching Santa Cruz Bottom is sugar and spice. Featuring a vintage hand-painted neon print, this bright bikini was made for tropical getaways. Double-lined with a soft and stretchy swim lining for extra support, this classic triangle can be customized when it comes to coverage. Actress Megan Fox wears this yellow bikini top upside down to allow for more under-cleavage in her editorial spread but it's up to you to decide how daring you’d like to be with this floral two-piece.

The Santa Cruz Bikini Bottom is also fully lined and features a high cut/high leg bottom with cheeky back coverage. I love the throwback silhouette of this nylon bikini bottom. Despite the current fashion obsession with 2000’s low-rise, I much prefer this flattering fit made famous in the 80s and 90s. For shorter women, it elongates the leg and for more petite women, it creates the illusion of a bigger bum. That being said, it is incredibly high cut in the front as well, so you may want to book an appointment with your waxer before you leave for your vacation.

Although many people curse the use of synthetic fabrics, nylon is an ideal fabric for swimwear, especially when you're traveling. The nylon of the Santa Cruz style will stretch to perfectly adapt to your curves and it dries incredibly fast. Just hang your swimsuit on your hotel room’s shower rod after rinsing it with a little mild soap and water and it should be good to go the next day. This fast-drying swimsuit is ideal for trips that have multiple stops or have you changing hotels often!

Swimwear for the Sex and the City Fan

Calling all Sex and the City fans! In line with Bareminimale’s obsession with all things 90s is their new Carrie Bradshaw Underwire Top and Carrie Bradshaw Bottom. Named after the heroine of the cult favorite HBO show, this bikini features a vintage floral print and a soft satin nylon fabric. If you were around in the 90s, you’ll remember how popular satin styles were at the time. As a Millennial, I still have a soft spot for this romantic textile and especially love that it's being used here for a swimsuit which is so out of the box. This fabulous fabric choice and Brat-tastic green color make it the ultimate it-girl swimsuit for 2024. This floral swimsuit looks chic lounging poolside or wading into the waves with your date (hopefully someone better than Mr. Big).

The underwire cup also makes this style a great option for bustier clients who feel that a classic triangle top isn’t supportive enough. With two adjustable straps and an adjustable back hook closure, this bikini top will help keep you from committing any potential wardrobe malfunctions. For those who prefer less structure in their swimwear, there is also the Carrie Bradshaw Classic Triangle Top.

Bareminimale is always so good about providing options for their customers and their Carrie Bradshaw Bottom is no exception.

You can order this green bikini bottom with a high-cut cheeky shape or a high-cut full shape for more coverage. Personally, I’d go for the high-cut full shape as the high-cut cheeky shape is almost a thong and I’m not nearly that brave. 

MySwimLook’s Picks From The Latest Bareminimale Collection

Bareminimale’s 2024 swim collection is bright and playful and is already selling at record rates. This sustainable brand has expanded to apparel offerings but still considers swimwear its bread and butter. It’s hard to pick which swimsuit is our favorite but these are two must-have styles you should consider adding to your swimwear collection!

Daytona Classic Triangle Top and Daytona Bottom

Hot pink and high-cut, this bikini set is not for the faint of heart. As we discussed in our previous article Embrace the Barbiecore Trend, pink is still a popular color, even a year after the Barbie movie’s release. Now you can live your doll dreams in this girly nylon bikini set.

Buttercup Classic Triangle Top and Buttercup Bottom

Preppy styles are all the rage and you can try this trend for yourself with this pastel bikini from Bareminimale. Available with a high-cut cheeky or a high-cut full bottom, this fully lined swimsuit is fresh like a beautiful spring day.

Where To Buy Bareminimale 

Wondering where to find Canada’s coolest swimwear brand? Head to the Bareminimale website! This buzzworthy brand is exclusively available for purchase on their website only for the time being. Thankfully, they do offer worldwide shipping, so fashion fans across the globe can get their hands on Bareminimale. Committed to sustainability, all of their orders are designed and ethically made in small batches in their Toronto studio.