Ever seen a swimsuit and thought to yourself, “who designed this evil contraption?!”

Well, chances are it’s someone who’s never worn a women’s swimsuit and never will. In the world of fashion, it’s not surprising that womenswear is big business. Women are in the majority of consumers, and they’re who drive the industry.

What is surprising is that though women are the core audience, female designers are still in the minority. In a Business of Fashion study, just 14% of the 50 major fashion brands surveyed had female leadership. 

When there are more females in decision making roles — especially when it comes to designing swimwear — thoughtful design solutions can be made. They have the expertise that can only be gathered through personal experience.

Anne Cole knew that back in the 60s and saw it first-hand while working alongside her father at his swimwear company. In a sea of male designers dictating the swimwear fashions for women — dictating what it meant to be sexy — she saw the opportunity to change the narrative.

Using her experiences, both professional and personal, she created her eponymous line in 1982. She knew the true benefits of having suits for women designed by women — which is still a part of the brand’s core philosophy today. 

Women know suits should be practical.

We sit.

We bend down.

It shouldn’t be too much to ask that a swimsuit stretches, covers, and holds all the important parts while we do the most basic activities — let alone jump into a pool.

Swimsuits are inherently the least forgiving things we will ever wear, so it’s essential to make the most of the limited fabric there is. And it’s not just about coverage.

Chest support (no matter your size) is key and options for how to get it: we have underwires, molded cups, removable pads, and straps that hold without digging into your shoulders.

Coverage and support are probably the most important things you need from a suit, so it’s a fairly good bet that a suit from a female designer will pass the test on form and function.

Women know the nuances of women’s figures.

We weren’t stamped out on a production line — we are born with unique and ever-changing figures. And as much as we try to define our shape to be hour-glass or pear-shaped, there always seems to be a “but…” (or a “butt”) that just doesn’t fit the mold.

We get it.

We also get that the suits shouldn’t only account for different shapes but also acknowledge that women aren’t the same size on the top as they are on the bottom. We know it’s critical to find the right swimsuit for your body type.

As a brand, Anne Cole has not only perfected a fit that women rely on, but it’s also set industry standards when Anne introduced the world to the concept of swim separates.

Today, the freedom to choose two-piece suits as two different pieces (tops and bottoms) is par for the course, but it wasn’t always. Short of custom tailoring, mixing, and matching two-piece suits is the next best thing in creating the perfect suit — or better yet, building a swimwear wardrobe.

Women know it’s not just about body type — it’s about confidence.

Just because the suit fits doesn’t mean it’s perfect.

We are all self-conscious about our bodies. We’ve had babies. We’re getting older. We’re not trying to get likes on Instagram, but we do want to look and feel good.

A one-piece swimsuit doesn’t have to be dowdy.

A two-piece swimsuit doesn’t have to be revealing.

It’s that awareness that helps our designers create suits that are flattering — not just a one-dimensional idea of ‘sexy.’ It means we can hide our perceived flaws with built-in tummy control in expertly designed swim bottoms and add coverage with a swim dress yet still look chic.

Any size, any issue — women have your back. At Anne Cole, it’s what we’ve done since day one and why we engineer every suit to fit, flatter and help you feel your best.

Women know how and when to innovate.

It doesn’t stop with re-tooling the suits we have.

It’s about breaking the rules and making new ones.

Anne, seeing our swimwear struggles, invented the magic of the Tankini. All the benefits of a two-piece and a one-piece — without the drawbacks of either. They say the best ideas are born out of necessity, and luckily she was in a position to invent it for women everywhere.

Many more design solutions for women have come from women and will continue as long as you put your support behind places with female designers.

Swimwear may not jump to the top of your list of favorite things to wear, but at Anne Cole, our designers do understand the struggle and use their personal expertise to craft suits with the freedom and flexibility to satisfy almost every shape, body concern, aesthetic, and point in your life. When you don’t even think twice about the suit you’re wearing, it makes lounging at a beautiful pool that much more relaxing.

And that’s the real benefit of suits designed by women: peace of mind.