Australians Are Swimwear Experts — And These 29 Brands Are Proof

Swimwear obsessives know, there are tons of amazing brands out there for bikinis and one-pieces. Each corner of the world puts their unique spin on swimsuits, but, naturally, those based in warm-weather locations — Los Angeles, Spain, Brazil, to name a few — tend to have a leg up. A set of designers that do swimwear exceptionally well and unlike anyone else: the Aussies. Whether you've realized it or not, loads of Australian swimwear brands have emerged from down under, including names you've probably heard of like Zimmermann, Matteau, and She Made Me and on-the-rise labels like Bondi Born, Aexae, and Wanderlust. Plenty more are finding their way to the forefront of the swimwear market, necessitating a spotlight if you're planning to shop for, or at least become privy to, new Australian swimwear brands.

Whether your swimwear style tends simple, feminine, sporty, or ebbs and flows between aesthetics, Australian swimwear brands offer something for everyone, all while hitting on the season's top swimwear trends. Metallic maillots, high-waisted bikinis, and vintage-inspired floral prints are just a few right-now looks the Aussies have mastered. Minimalist styles, smocked designs, and underwire silhouettes abound, too. Even better, sustainability is at the core of many of these brands, making a new swimwear purchase all the more encouraging.

For finishing touches, resort wear is always key with swimsuits from summer-weight knits to kaftans and modern board shorts. Ahead, you'll discover a handful of brands with elevated offerings, many of which are designed in collaboration with or feature the work of Aboriginal artists.

Keep scrolling ahead for 29 of the freshest Australian swim and resort wear lines worth getting on your radar. From '80s-inspired cuts to minimalist designs and styles designed specifically for big busts and curves, discover an edit of stylish maillots, two-pieces, and coverups from down under.

Australian Swim Brands: Palm

From smocked designs to trendy one-shoulder and underwire styles, Palm — founded in 2014 in Western Australia — delivers on swimwear that feels modern yet feminine at once. Sustainability is at the core of the brand, too. Core fabrics are made from recycled Italian econyl fibers, a material regenerated from waste plastics and old fishing nets.

Australian Swim Brands: Aexae

Already counting Kim Kardashian and Kendall Jenner as fans, Aexae — founded by Amelia Perez in 2015 and designed between Sydney and London — offers clean, minimalist swimsuits that range from muted tones to trendy zebra print. From bandeau tops and high-waisted bottoms to one-shoulder maillots and classic string styles, most pieces come in under $100. To wit, the company is working to improve sustainability from all angles — the company is transitioning plastic packing to biodegradable materials and working to produce collections with sustainable and recycled fabrics by 2021.

Australian Swim Brands: Liandra Swim

Fusing Aboriginal Australian culture with ethical design and premium materials, Liandra Swim — founded and designed by Liandra Gaykamangu — offers bikinis and one-piece in striking prints that make a statement. Sleek silhouettes abound from timeless triangle bikinis to square-neck tops and high-waist bottoms, all at an affordable price point between $49 and $130.

Australian Swim Brands: Ephemera

For modern, feminine swimwear with a nostalgic look, Ephemera is a must-try, founded by Nicole Banning (she held design positions at Saint Laurent and Paris before launching the line). Focusing on impeccable fits, balconette tops, ruffled straps, and spliced one-pieces are a few of the brand's signature, all made from sustainably-sourced fabrics.

Australian Swim Brands: Triangl

Triangl offers the best in affordable, on-trend swimwear from luminous metallics and retro floral prints to neon solids and leopard motifs. The freshest silhouettes abound to suit every taste, including underwire, scoop neck, and one-shoulder tops to high-waisted and tie-side bottoms. Founded by Craig Ellis and Erin Deering in 2012, the brand counts Hailey Bieber as a celebrity fan and has a flagship store in North Bondi if you find yourself in Sydney.

Australian Swim Brands: Wanderlust

If elevated, modern basics are your thing, look no further than Wanderlust swimwear. Simple yet thoughtfully-designed silhouettes are at the crux of this Aussie brand, appealing to minimalist tastes and those in the market for a fuss-free suit. With a refined, sport-luxe vibe, the textured fabrics and square necklines nod to '90s style and feel particularly fresh in brown and beige.

Australian Swim Brands: Matteau

Luxury swimwear line Matteau has mastered simple, timeless, and considered design. With a focus on life-long pieces, clean, modern lines transform classic silhouettes whether you tend toward a sleek plunge maillot, square-neck bikini, or unique one-piece with a gathered waist. Offered in a range of solid colors and elegant prints, these suits are a worthy investment in any swimwear wardrobe.

Australian Resort Wear Brands: MAARA Collective

Creative director, Julie Shaw founded the Australian luxury resort wear line, MAARA Collective to celebrate Indigenous art and fashion through a collaborative design process. As a Yuwaalaraay woman — an Aboriginal Australian people of New South Wales — Shaw works with Indigenous artists and artisans to create her assortment of knitwear, coverups, and lightweight separates, all of which pair perfectly with any bikini or maillot in your collection. To wit, MAARA Collective gives back in meaningful and impactful ways; through the brand's Buy1Give1 initiative, every purchase provides digital skills training and education to remote Aboriginal communities.

Australian Swim Brands: Bondi Born

Founded in Sydney in 2015, Bondi Born offers elegant, sophisticated swimwear to inspire beach body confidence through elevated style. With an emphasis on pared-back design and the use of technically advanced fabrics, founder Dale McCarthy and creative director Karla Clarke create beautiful silhouettes ranging from glamorous one-shoulder styles to unique strappy backs and impeccable classics with a minimal feel.

Australian Swim Brands: Peony

Peony creates trendy, feminine swimwear with a bit of whimsy, all the while placing sustainability at the core of the brand. Every piece is made entirely from recycled and sustainable fabrications from the exterior fabrics to the inner linings and the brand's custom prints, varying from smocked one-pieces to retro-inspired bikinis.

Australian Swim Brands: Fella

Founded by Rosie Iffla and Christine Tang in 2012, Fella is a Sydney-based brand created on the philosophy that sustainable, practical-fitting swimwear with timeless beauty can be done without compromising quality. Offering a robust range of bikinis and one-pieces, the brand has a suit for every aesthetic from minimal to feminine and eclectic. Think pastel solids, muted tones, sweet floral prints, and textured fabrics.

Australian Swim Brands: Saint Somebody

Saint Somebody is an ethical Aussie brand that hand-makes stylish and comfortable swimwear with curvy bodies in mind. With a size range between 8 and 20, the brand's seamless one-pieces and bikinis feature clean, modern lines with structured details to support your frame. To wit, the brand is environmentally conscious in both production and distribution — they've partnered with the non-profit organization, B1G1, and donate a portion of every sale to various global causes.

Australian Swim Brands: Native Swimwear Australia

Native Swimwear Australia — the first 100 percent Aboriginally owned and operated brand to show at New York Fashion Week — is a luxury label making boldly printed swimsuits and resort wear. With sustainability and Fair Trade principles at the core, high-quality materials (including regenerated nylon waste and recycled plastic) make up every piece, all of which feature Authentic and licensed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prints. Silhouettes and design features are inspired by Aboriginal culture and experience, considering changes the female body experiences through Motherhood, too, from swimwear styles that feature weaving, breast, and stomach support to UV50+ sun protection and chlorine resistant treatments.

Australian Swim Brands: Sommer Swim

For a la dolce vita vibe, Sommer Swim is choice, founded by Anna-Maria Sommer. The luxury swimwear label takes design inspiration from the European summer lifestyle, which boils down to ruched, strappy, and cut-out one-pieces and bikinis in vibrant colors and bold prints — all meant to worn with piles of gold jewelry, day or night.

Australian Swim Brands: Bamba

Channel an '80s bombshell look with your swimwear in a bikini or one-piece by the Australian swimwear label, Bamba. High-rise, cheeky-cut bottoms and underwire bras are all in bold colors and punchy prints at the crux of this collection. For subtler tastes, you'll find classic black bikinis, too.

Australian Swim Brands: Fae

Sexy and sustainability combine to create Fae, an Australian swimwear collection founded by Bianca Bennetts that counts the Kardashians, Joann Smalls, and Martha Hunt as fans. With Bond-girl-style bikinis that feature super-cheeky cuts and bra tops, the brand's ethical styles incorporate Econyl fabric and yarn processed from nylon waste, using as little energy and water as possible in the design process.

Australian Swim Brands: Skye & Staghorn

Unique detailing epitomizes Skye & Staghorn, from wrap-around bikini tops to asymmetrically cut maillots and bold uses of color. Designed to be mixed and matched, choose from the brand's assortment of minimal and classic cuts, beaded pieces, and textured fabrics for a stylish swimwear look all your own.

Australian Swim Brands: Lahanah Swim

With a playful and nostalgic spirit, Lahanah Swim's offerings feature minimalistic designs with cheeky cuts that make a statement. From charming prints like plaid and leopard to ribbed and smocked styles in bright colors and neutral hues, there's a bikini for every taste, from sporty to sweet.

Australian Swim Brands: She Made Me

Crochet is the signature of She Made Me, a Byron Bay-based swimwear line by Chloe Dunlop. With a '70s spirit and modern feel, each bikini and one-piece is handmade by artisans in Bali in limited quantities, ranging from bright colors to pastel shades and Earth tones. In addition to the swimwear, the brand's beautiful ready-to-wear offerings are not to miss —  tops, dresses, pants, and skirts abound. Plus, they're especially stylish when mixed-and-matched with the swimwear in the heat.

Australian Resort Wear Brands: Magpie Goose

Magpie Goose was founded by Maggie McGowan and Laura Egan in December 2016 with a mission to generate economic opportunities for Aboriginal people living in remote Australia and celebrate their culture and stories through fashion. With offerings ranging from shorts to dresses and skirts, each collection serves as an "exhibition" of stories by Aboriginal artists that the brand partners with. If you're searching for vibrant beachwear to style with your swimsuits, look no further than this label.

Australian Swim Brands: Myra Swim

Taking inspiration from the '80s and '90s, Myra Swim — founded and designed by Bianca Elouise — focuses on minimalist swimwear made to enhance a woman's curves. Every suit is made from a silky, lightweight nylon-spandex blend with seamless finishes and high-cut legs.

Australian Swim Brands: Zimmermann

One of Australia's most well-known labels, Zimmermann's decidedly romantic aesthetic translates seamlessly to the brand's lineup of swimwear. From floral-prints with frilled accents to bright, minimal silhouettes and bold motifs, there's a swimsuit for every aesthetic with exceptional fits, to boot.

Australian Swim Brands: RAQ

RAQ's swimwear is designed by a busty woman for busty women, focusing on silhouettes that properly support D-cups and larger. Combining technologically-advanced design with high style at an affordable price point, this line is made to make women feel comfortable, stylish, and confident in their swimsuit, be it a hot pink bikini, zebra print two-piece, or '90s-style bra-and-brief set in black or white.

Australian Swim Brands: Kirrikin

Kirrikin — a line of luxury swimwear, resort wear, and accessories featuring exclusive artwork from contemporary Indigenous Australian artists — was founded by Amanda Healy and debuted for the Spring/Summer 2018 season. With offerings ranging from bikinis to coverups and scarves, every colorful design intends to embody Australia's essence by way of digitally printing the artist's work onto sustainable fabric, including Viscose (wood pulp) and Vita Lycra (recycled plastic bottle lycra). As an Indigenous registered business, a percentage of every Kirrikin purchase benefits the featured Indigenous Australian artist involved in the design.

Australian Swim Brands: Inc Swim

Created with the modern minimalist in mind, Inc Swim was founded by photographer, Josie Clough, offering swimwear essentials that stand the test of time. From barely-there cuts to comfortable styles with more coverage, a mood of '90s beach culture abounds. Not to miss are the sleek stripes and polka-dot designs for those with a penchant for prints while the neutral shades and solid brights will appeal to die-hard minimalists.

Australian Swim Brands: Zulu & Zephyr

For low-key cool swimwear with a '90s feel, look no further than Zulu & Zephyr. Founded in Bondi Beach by sisters Candice and Karla Rose in 2012, this swimwear line emanates Australian beach culture combining playful details with pared-back design. Whether you're shopping for a retro floral print, bra-top design, or sporty scoop neck, the freshest styles abound in this collection.

Australian Swim Brands: White Fox

Founded by Georgia Moore and Daniel Contos in 2013, this super-affordable swimwear brand delivers on the latest trends for a highly Instagrammable swimwear moment. From stringy two-pieces to minimal maillots, you'll discover vibrant colors, pretty prints, cool cut-outs, and more in this collection.

Australian Swim Brands: Hannah Artwear

Taking inspiration from her own watercolor paintings and fusing them with traditional Indian techniques, designer Hannah Grossberg set out to create resort wear that reads as wearable art — she works closely with artisans in India to create her one-of-a-kind prints through woodblock printing and tie-dye techniques. Current offerings include ready-to-wear pieces like coordinating sets, patterned dresses, and lightweight separates. Fall 2020 will mark the launch of Hannah Artwear swim, wherein you'll find high-waisted bikinis, plunging one-pieces, and classic string styles in her signature prints.

Australian Swim Brands: Ark

Ark swimwear stems from a vision of creating the ultimate staple bikini, that's comfortable and accentuates the female form, at once. Minimalist designs made from luxe fabrics are the signature of this collection, offered in a range of jewel tones, neutral shades, and animal prints. Worn by Kim Kardashian and Emily Ratajkowski, it's safe to say a suit from this line is worth a try.