Manoviraj Khosla for Kingfisher

It was a jaw-dropper even for the jaded celebs and party-goers in the audience at designer Malini Ramani’s chilled-out club Congo in Goa. Skin was in ? or, should we say, out ? and the inspiration was Strictly Bikinis. In the picture perfect surroundings, came a medley of bikinis ? in zebra prints and even sequinned tigers on black Lycra. Also, in the fashion line-up was the tankini (a camisole-like bikini top). Sometimes these were accessorised with terry-cloth zip-up hooded numbers pulled on over bikini tops. Alternatively, the bitsy ensembles were completed with chiffon sarongs. One model even came prancing along the ramp as the Bikini Bahu, who loved doing all her housework in swimwear. “It’s a naughty take on the bikini, which is the hottest summer trend of 2006,” says Ramani.

The story was pretty much the same when fashion guru, Manish Malhotra lifted the veil ? if that’s the right expression ? from his latest Pre-Spring Summer Resortwear Collection. Bikini tops came worn under a variety of diaphanous garments some of which came with heavy embellishments.

Don’t think that bold, brassy and revealing bikinis are meant just to create a stir on designer ramps. Skimpy designer swimwear is the flavour of the season and is flying off designer shelves. And it’s not just the P3P suspects and filmstars who are ready to show skin on the beach. The buyers of these skimpy bikinis or even naughtily-cut one-piece swimsuits include college girls and working women who are tossing aside convention.

Malini Ramani

Swimwear is making a bold fashion statement not just in Lycra but in unlikely fabrics such as brocade and Net. Other surprise elements include embellishments that go from sparkling crystals to shimmering gota. How about the prices? Anywhere from Rs 3,500 to some Rs 5,000 and occasionally even more. Welcome to a world of bikini couture.

By international standards, India is still a tiny market. But that’s changing and the market is also moving beyond sporty Speedo and Nike designs. But this is swimwear that’s meant to be flaunted and which must be accessorised with trendy sarongs, hats, jewellery, flip-flops and more. And before we forget: some bikinis are strictly meant for posing (and showing off) in ? on the beach or by the poolside. They aren’t really meant for long hours in the pool or the sea.

“Globally, swimwear is a major part of fashion and follows seasons and trends much like the fashion collections of top signatures,” says designer Manoviraj Khosla, who designed a swimwear line for Kingfisher some years ago.

According to Khosla, swimwear is an integral part of resortwear and the bikini has become a vital accessory for a summer wardrobe. “Bikinis are the ultimate in beach loungewear,” he says. There is one qualification to that. Unlike typical loungewear, swimsuits don’t leave much margin for error. Salim Asgarally who has a dedicated line of swimwear, advises that a well-toned body is a pre-requisite for a two-piece or daring one-piece swimming gear.

Payal Singhal

But let’s get a few things straight. Don’t think only of the water’s edge when you think about a bikini. The design trade insists that bikinis are very versatile and can be teamed with all kinds of other outfits. So today the bikini top is being worn differently for different looks. It is being paired with jeans, shorts, or even a skirt.

It’s also going under sheer kaftans while halter-cut bikini tops (pretty much like halter cholis) are being paired with sarongs and saris. Designer Payal Singhal’s collections are heavy on wide-neck kurtis with the bikini top showing through. “Just pair this ensemble with jeans for the lounge look,” she says.

Malhotra couldn’t agree more: “A swimsuit worn with a kurta is really very trendy just as a transparent mulmul or a georgette top teamed with a bikini makes for a good combination.”

Vandana Sharma for Monte Carlo

Malhotra’s beachwear is heavy on the pastels while he also loves lime green, lemon yellow, peaches and serene whites. The inspiration? “I am completely taken up by the sensuous and confident woman. It is a sensuality that is not in-your-face, but one that is feminine and pretty,” he says.

What are the changes this season? Bikinis have moved away from fluorescent colours and routine Lycra prints and embellishment is the name of the game. “There’s lots of sparkle and dollops of fun going into bikini designs,” says Ramani. Her collection stands testimony to this.

So, top swimwear trends to watch out for this summer include metallics and prints with lots of detailing. The prints are big, bold and colourful while the styles are skin-baring cut-outs with many strings attached. The embellishments include sequins, rhinestones, shells, beads and more. Asgarally’s latest swimwear comes with mother-of-pearl and wooden beads while the winning colour of the season, he says, is pink. Shane & Falguni Peacock have played with sequins, crystals and embroidery on net and Lycra prints.

Prasansha Saha for Kingfisher

Fashion stylist, Vandana Sharma, whose bikini line was in the lavishly-produced Monte Carlo calendar, has gone heavy with crystals, sequins and stonework. “I opted for a very Indian look to compliment the exotic locales,” she says. So she settled for hand-blocked printed cottons and even brocade. “The fabric sparkles more in water,” she explains. Khosla has even experimented with gota.

The glamorous calendars being produced are the best places for upcoming designers to showcase funky swimwear. Kingfisher set the ball rolling with its fashionable swimwear calendars, giving budding designers space to show their creativity.

This year too, Kingfisher gave some 12 smart, young designers from all over the country a chance to do their stuff for its calendar. Designer Vishakha Vijay Kullarwar, a student of SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, who also designed for the Kingfisher calendar this year says, “Before finalising the design, I played with different looks. I took into consideration the fabrics, colours and textures of the season. Metallics are very in this season, so I used gold stretch Lycra with sequin work, using a fish scale effect to highlight the waist.” Gold rings and tie-ups were incorporated into the design.

Vishakha Vijay Kullarwar for Kingfisher

Prasansha Saha, a third year student of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), meanwhile took inspiration from the Masai tribe of Africa. Her colours were bold orange and blue. “I feel that swimwear can be complimented with heavy doses of costume or chunky silver jewellery,” she says.

But designing a bikini isn’t a task that’s undertaken lightly even by the topmost designers. Says Falguni Peacock, “The size and fit must be perfect. This garment is intimately connected to the body and a bad fit is a good recipe for disaster.” So what’s the test of great swimwear? Essentially prints and cuts that help accentuate the perfections of the body without revealing the flaws in the figure. It’s also important to make the swimsuit look sexy without being vulgar. “It’s a fine dividing line,” says Khosla.

Kullarwar points out that designers must turn out swimsuits in various styles and cuts for different body types. That’s because few women have a perfect figure. But the designers insist that anyone can look good in a swimsuit ? provided you know what looks best. Khosla adds, “One must know what suits you best.”

But have Indian women really shed their inhibitions and are they ready to get into the skimpiest of swimwear? Says Malhotra, “It’s subjective and ultimately depends on how comfortable they are. Even women who are well-toned and fit may not be comfortable in swimwear.”

Manish Malhotra

The trick, all the designers insist, is to follow a set of strict dos and don’ts: the top one being ? be watchful about that cellulite. Also if you are big built, don’t reveal. One-piece swimsuits are a great option for those who want to conceal rather than reveal. A hot one-piece trend is a halter style suit that is high on the comfort factor.

A petite woman on the other hand can be bold. Women who want to give the semblance of having longer legs than they really do, can go for a two-piece swimsuit that is cut high on the thigh. For those who are a little wary of bikinis, the tankini is a new trend, says Khosla who maintains that tankinis flatter just about every kind of shape. Unlike the bikini, the tankini can also disguise a long torso and conceal a bulging tummy.

Working on the cover-up principal, tankinis also work for those with thick waistlines. However, the unavoidable fact is that one-piece swimwear works best if you have a slight tummy. Additionally patterns running at angles also tend to give the illusion of a narrow waist.

With a plethora of choices it’s easy zero in on a style that’s just right. Go tropical with floral prints in cheerful colours, exude the safari look in animal prints or choose to be hip in graphic blacks and whites. Sophistication is in, so just go ahead and make a splash.