Swimwear brand goes back to the future

Australian designer Tienna Paisley has always been a bit of a hippy.
Now the enterprising 34-year-old plans to profit from her retro designs by launching a range of '60s-inspired swimwear. Utilising her experience as a former grader for Supre and as designer for Aloha surfwear, Paisley said she hopes to reignite the demand for vintage apparel.
"When I made a skirted bikini for myself, everyone wanted one and strangers would stop me on the street. That's my inspiration and I know what goes into making a label a success.
"Paisley is a purely retro label and does not follow the trends of other swimwear labels so in that sense I have the freedom to do what I want," she said. "Let's get back into retro."
Produced in Sydney's Marrickville, the capsule range will test the waters with two bikinis and a one-piece swimsuit. Although this is not the designer's first foray into swimwear, she admits the saturated industry is a tough one to crack.
"Getting know and out there is time consuming, I'm halfway through calling every surf store in Australia."
Set to hit stores in mid November, the collection is available in pink, blue and black with the underskirts and one-piece swimsuit made from polyester matt lycra and the bikinis and overskirts produced from printed cotton lycra.
Wholesaling for $40 for the belted bikini, $50 for the skirted bikini, $65 for the one-piece with print and $60 without print, the line is targeted at 16 to 35-year-old women.
"Girls who like something a bit different, who want to look sexy but not necessarily with a Brazilian."