The top Brazilian swimwear brands: Rosa Chá, Lenny, Cia. Marítima

Forget the barely-there string bikini stereotype: Brazilians now like show little skin and plenty of covered-up ensembles at the beach. The new look, which pairs high-waisted bottoms with tops dressy enough to pass for evening wear, is bound to migrate from Ipanema to the Hamptons and beyond, since leading Brazilian swimwear designers – Rosa Chá and Lenny among them – now show their collections not only in São Paulo’s fashion week but also at the Bryant Park tents in New York.

The new Brazilian bikinis come with tops either flowy and voluminous, gathered halter-style at the neck (like the Lenny bikini, at left), or feature long, criss-crossing wide straps tied at the back or on one side. Other times they’re form-fitting and adorned with sculpture-like pieces of metal or acryllic. Winning one-pieces are all-white (like the heavily-draped Lenny number Nicole Kidman sported in a Vanity Fair spread) or done in bright solids, with dramatic detailing like heavy draping, bands of sequins on the hips, wood pieces sewn onto the bodice or a scattering of assymetrical cutouts (some look more like wearable art than something you’d want to take a dip in.






Cover-ups, too, are anything but casual. Think shimmering slip worn with a wide belt, or trapeze-shaped one-shoulder dress with patches of bold color. Or flowing cover-up skirt, as shown at right, from Rosa Chá's summer 09 collection. It’s beachwear that goes from pool to evening cocktails to moonlit dinner: why not?










Cia. Maritima

Track&Field Shopping Iguatemi
Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima , 2232 Piso 1
São Paulo
Tel: (11)3816-3663

Track&Field Oscar Freire
R. Oscar Freire, 959/961
Jardins
São Paulo
Tel: (11)3062-4457

Rosa Chá
boutiques in Rio:
Rosa Chá Fashion Mall
Estrada da Gávea, 899, loja 221F
tel. (21) 2422-3744

Rosa Chá Barra
Barra Shopping
Av. das Américas, 4666
tel. (21) 3089-1052

boutiques in São Paulo

Rosa Chá Iguatemi
Shopping Iguatemi
Av. Faria Lima, 2232
tel. (11) 3032-3078

Rosa Chá Morumbi
Shopping Morumbi
tel. (11) 5182-5125

Lenny

Lenny boutiques in Rio:

Lenny boutiques in São Paulo: