Demi Moore Steps Into a New Role: Swimwear Designer

Demi Moore has launched her own vintage-inspired limited-edition collection at Andie, the women’s swimwear brand.

The 59-year-old actor, producer and author said she’s never designed swimwear before “except in my own mind.”

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“My relationship with Andie has been around since the very beginning of Andie, and there was a natural progression,” said Moore, who became an investor in Andie in 2018. “This came about after my daughters and I did the campaign together last summer, it just kind of evolved very organically.”

When she agreed to do it, “I had no idea what that meant, I’m still trying to figure it out,” she laughed. “In the process, it allowed me to explore some things about what I loved, what I felt other women might find interesting and unique that also addressed some of their areas of concern and in doing so in a way that was still sexy and had style,” said Moore.

“In all honesty, it really just sounded like something that would be really fun,” she added.

As for her aesthetic and how she approached the design process, she said, “I felt there seemed to be a real pendulum swing between almost no fabric at all in bathing suits to things that were covered, but a bit matronly and sexless. There was this combination of looking at those two polarities and my love and extensive vintage swimwear collection that I wear, and in some cases have worn out as if they were clothes, like shorts. It really inspired me to find a little niche within what I love within what Andie was already doing, making things for real women that were simple, classic, comfortable.”

Moore said when they first started talking — Andie has evolved dramatically since then — there was much more leaning toward a more athletic direction. ‘I really wanted to find a way to remind people that sweet and sexy doesn’t have to be showing everything,” she said.

Moore looks to cater to both her contemporaries as well as those of her daughters.

 “My hope is that there is a little bit of something that will appeal to a real broad demographic. Even though it’s a small collection, the idea was really to bring forward something that would have a cross-pollination, and things that you might think of more immediately somebody older might wear because it is more covered and is actually something that somebody might wear out as clothes,” she said.

The collection, called Demi Moore x Andie, features 10 styles and is made from high-end fabrics sourced from Italy and France. The suits were manufactured  in a factory in Morocco. Ranging in price from $75 to $155, the collection features one-piece suits and separates including the Marseilles one-piece, The Deep V one-piece, the Tropez one-piece, the Monaco top and bottom, The Tropez top and bottom, The Cannes top and bottom, and the Marseilles bottom. One of the designs is a Firework print.

 

Demi Moore poses in a Demi Moore x Andie swimsuit. - Credit: Drew Escriva
Demi Moore poses in a Demi Moore x Andie swimsuit. - Credit: Drew Escriva

Drew Escriva

“Demi Moore has captivated millions throughout her paramount career,” said Michelle Copelman, Andie’s vice president of brand and design. “With undeniable style and an impressive eye for detail, we felt she was the perfect match for Andie. Demi was a part of every step of the design process, from sketches and silhouettes to fabric selection and finalizing the finishing touches. We are so excited to partner with such an influential fashion icon on this very special collection and can’t wait to share it with women everywhere.”

Copelman said sizes range from XS to XL and include plus-sizing from 2XL to 3XL. All fabrics contain an aspect of recycled materials. She said the packaging is recyclable.

Asked if this is a one-off collection or an ongoing business, Moore hesitated, and then answered, “We’ll see.

“There were a couple of things that Michelle and I both really were trying to crack that I really wanted to do. We explored, but it didn’t come together yet. We let it go. It’s almost like a song you didn’t get to sing. If they have the patience and my hyper-detailed.…I feel that I learned so much in this exploration, and I truly did enjoy and feel that I have a much better understanding,” said Moore. She said designing swimwear is a much trickier world than people realize. “What would work in lingerie doesn’t necessarily work in swim. Even certain details…,” she said.

Asked if these looks were designed for actually swimming, Moore said, “My hope would be yes.” She said Copelman kept her on track with fabrics that respond well. “Too often we get suits and they come apart after two washes. That’s not what we were looking to do. I love what Andie does, they do simple, classic and wearable and sustainable,” said Moore.

In addition to the website, AndieSwim.com/Collections/Demi, the collection will be sold at the end of the month at Andie’s Sag Harbor location. That store opened the first week of May. There is an Andie’s store in Berkeley, California, that also opened in May. “We’re sort of anticipating the collection to sell out quite quickly given the amazing photos. They’re intended to get it, if they don’t sell out on e-commerce,” said Copelman.

The collection was shot on the French Riviera, in and around Marseilles. The brand hired Los Angeles-based film photographer Drew Escriva, who photographed Moore with film. Moore worked closely with the creative team on styling and location scouting. Last July Moore appeared with her daughters Rumer, Scout and Tallulah Willis in the “Together” ad campaign for Andie.

Moore’s capsule will be divided into two deliveries: July 7 and 15.

Describing her favorite designs, Moore said, “I have a real love of the ruffled bottoms, whether it’s with the bikini top or the bandeau top. It has an ease, and it’s fun and playful. I actually do love both of the one-pieces for totally different reasons and feelings, even though I always end up wanting to be in a bikini. Not every occasion is appropriate nor do I always want to share myself in a bikini,” she said.

As for which styles she anticipates will be the bestsellers, Moore said, “It’s hard to say. I almost hate to say it, because I think you can end up surprised. There’s a strong feeling that the Plunge is going to do super well and appeal to a real broad demographic, and I think we’ll actually be surprised by the other one-piece that has a panel in the front, which is more covered. I think there is something about that I can easily see someone wearing with a long shirt and wearing it out as streetwear,” said Moore.

Circling back to whether this was a real business or just a one-off, Moore said she did this because she felt she could really feel great joy in exploring. She said she has a very close relationship with Melanie Travis, the company’s founder and chief executive officer, and was an early supporter and investor. “This is really a labor of love. Yes, it will be great if it’s successful. That’s not what has driven this. We haven’t even closed my deal,” said Moore.

Discussing what attracted her to the company in the first place, she said, “I just loved her [Travis’] vision and her point of view of wanting to put a woman’s experience as the focus in bringing a better experience to such a vulnerable part of our lives, and how to make that a more comfortable and empowering experience. There was just something about what she was looking to carve out that I just loved and really understand because it is really vulnerable. I think from that perspective, I was just looking at adding a slight skew to that of a little bit more whimsy and more feminine detail and different hardware where Andie has gone before. Just pushing the envelope just a little bit with things that I would love.”

Moore was asked whether she does any sketching. “Oh honey, you wouldn’t want to see my sketching. I do excellent doodles.

“I have an extensive vintage collection of swimwear. The combination of images, utilizing inspiration from certain shapes that I felt had something we haven’t seen or played with in a long time, that I felt might spark something as it did in me. Maybe it won’t…I’d look at the vintage pieces I have and look at the imagery that was associated with it, there was something that was very glamorous that maybe we’ve kind of lost that had a little bit of play and fantasy that maybe was a little bigger than life in a way that might be nice for us to have,” she explained.

As for whether Moore has an interest in launching any other categories, she said, “I won’t close the door to anything.

“There are a few things, if they would want to continue. There are a couple of things Michelle and I both had a great love for but haven’t yet tackled, and maybe there would be a small addition at some point. I love this idea of cover-ups that are integrated as part of the look,” added Moore.

As reported, in December, Andie, which also makes lingerie and loungewear, said it had raised $18.5 million in series B funding, bringing the brand’s total investments to $27.5 million. The latest round was led by Marcy Venture Partners, the venture capital firm cofounded by Jay-Z, along with Jay Brown and Larry Marcus.

After a successful pop-up in Palm Beach, Florida, the company has expanded its omnichannel strategy with two pop-ups in Sag Harbor, New York, and Berkeley, California, with plans to open more stores later this year. Andie also recently launched cover-ups, starting with linen, with terry to follow this month. The fast-growing company has sold more than 1 million swimsuits to date and had 100 percent year-over-year growth from 2020 to 2021.

 

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Launch Gallery: Looks from the Demi Moore x Andie Swim Collection

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