This Instagirl-Beloved Brand Has Just Launched Its First-Ever Swim Line

You’ll recognize it for its body-hugging corsets and ultra-cute matching sets.

You have probably seen this brand on celebs like Bella Hadid, Kendal and Kylie Jenner and fashion it-Girls like Salem Mitchell and Devon Lee Carlson. Founded in 2016 by Alexia Elkaim, MIAOU has risen to social media fame (the brand currently has 149k followers on Instagram) thanks to its body-hugging tops, matching sets, embellished jeans, and other party-ready clubwear. Five years later, the brand is making its first foray into swimwear for Summer 2021 — launching today and now available to shop on the brand’s website, as well as select retailers including Kith, SSENSE, Revolve, and FWRD.

“I grew up by the water so swim felt like a natural progression for the brand,” MIAOU Founder and Designer Alexia Elkaim tells V. “But what makes MIAOU swim truly unique is our prints — we brought back some of our classics like ‘figaro‘ and ‘monogram‘, as well as introduced our new prints dubbed ‘money’ and ‘hot take’. We have been waiting a long time for the release and are so excited!”

The swim offerings from MIAOU’s Summer 2021 range follow in this vein of sultry, season-appropriate looks — think nostalgic glitter embellishments, cut-out details, and eye-catching prints on trendy designs that are equally appropriate for the beach and more metropolitan setting. In addition to a mix of revealing high-cut bikini styles and fuller coverage beachwear pieces, this ’90s riot girl-inspired range includes corsets, mesh dresses, cropped tees, and low-rise pants — all of which have become so popular on TikTok that they are now considered a staple in every fashion gal’s closet. Wear them on their own, or lean into the emerging G-string trend by pairing them with the swimwear styles offered in this new collection.

“There were two things I was adamant about in developing swim: fit and quality,” Elkaim continues. “It took me a year to get the fit right because I wanted the fit to be versatile and sexy. For instance, the Kauia bottoms are designed to be worn either low rise or higher on the sides & the Bambi top is actually between a demi and half cup, leaving room for bigger chested girls.”

Elkaim’s entrepreneurial journey began out of a personal need for a novel pair of jeans with the perfect fit for her curvy body. She started off with a single pair of grommet-accented pants — an embellishment that has since become a signature for this cool-girl label. MIAOU continues to put emphasis on the sustainability aspect of its garments, using deadstock and biodegradable fibers in its core fabrics. For one, the mesh items in this Summer 2021 collection are made from 92 percent recycled nylon derived from wasteful materials like old fishing nets. The collection also includes pieces made from a stretch crepe fabric that is composed of 97 percent recycled polyester, which reduces soil contamination and air and water pollution by diverting PET bottles that would otherwise go into landfills to regenerated polyester yarn.

Check out MIAOU Summer 2021 collection lookbook in the gallery below, lensed by NYC-based Emily Lipson. Perhaps, the Miami grunge-inspired series will convince you to revamp your summer wardrobe with one of those printed bikinis or a bodycon corset-style top.

Discover More