Luxury Brands Want to Dress You for the Beach, Too

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One thing about the fashion industry: It'll look for any type of opportunity to sell more product outside of the traditional two-season calendar.

Beyond the spring and fall "main" collections we see on the runway, most brands also release pre-collections, which are meant to be more commercial plays (i.e. what actually sells) to fill in the gaps between product deliveries. Within these, we have Pre-Fall (i.e. summer) and Pre-Spring (i.e. winter, Resort or Cruise, depending on the house) — and sometimes, they'll release separate High Summer or Holiday capsules in addition to those. All of this doesn't account for smaller drops or collaborations here and there, either timed to specific events or partnerships, nor does it include designers that also work in haute couture and menswear. (There's simply... too much stuff.)

This summer, we're seeing a seasonal sub-category emerge as luxury brands release limited-edition product lines dedicated exclusively to beachwear. Fendi recently dropped an astrology-themed collection inspired by Karl Lagerfeld collections from the '90s, featuring swimsuits, cover-ups and other beach accessories. Louis Vuitton debuted LV by the Pool, which has everything from monogram-covered hats, bags and scarves to branded chairs, towels and even a hammock. Versace released La Vacanza in collaboration with Dua Lipa immediately following a Cannes runway show. There's also Balmain, Givenchy and Burberry, which have their own versions of these, done as exclusives with retailers (Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, respectively).

Rickie de Sole, Women's Fashion Director at Nordstrom, says that, from a retailer perspective, these types of capsules allow these stores to partner with brands in a different way — and, in some cases, give them an opportunity to create something totally new.

"We recently partnered with Missoni on an exclusive swimwear capsule created from some of their most storied archival textiles. This was the first time Missoni used upcycled materials to create a capsule, making it an exciting moment to share with our customers," she writes, via e-mail.

Nordstrom wanted to work with Burberry on its beachwear collection because the brand is at an interesting juncture, with Daniel Lee having made his debut at the house just a few months ago, which gives this launch a timely peg (and, obviously, a singularity, since his designs are sought-after but shoppers will only find these piece in one place). "We love the way he's been playing with ways to work their iconic check. This offers a fun summer take on Burberry icons," de Sole says. "Our customers will love the crochet separates, embroidery anglaise dresses and beach-ready accessories that add a finishing touch to any summer look."

These types of capsules aren't necessarily new: Dior began expanding the world of Dioriviera into ready-to-wear, accessories and IRL pop-ups back in 2019; Valentino Escape is now in its fourth year; Chanel has Coco Beach, and has introduced countless novelty beach items over the years (surfboards, bikinis, hula hoop bags...) outside of it. We've also seen many of these brands set up shop, literally, in high-end summer destinations like the Hamptons or Saint Tropez, for the season, hoping to lure in the seasonal residents.

What's different now is that they're becoming much more widespread, standing on their own versus being incorporated into the pre-seasons or even runway propositions. And customers are responding.

"Thanks to social media, everyone has grown accustomed to showing off their vacations and holiday outfits. As a result, we've seen more interest in the category and demand for escape wardrobe solutions," de Sole says.

As brands see these products sell, they start to solidify them as part of their inventory calendar. Who knows, they might soon be as run-of-the-mill as made-up Pre-Fall and Resort collections.

Obviously, the items we're talking about here are very, very expensive — $590 for a bikini top and $1,650 for a paddle game from Louis Vuitton; $950 for slide sandals and $1,050 for a beach towel from Dior; $890 for a one-piece and $8,900 for a wooden surfboard from Fendi. They're not necessarily wardrobe essentials, but they do have something we know works for these luxury brands in spades: logos.

Almost every product in these beachwear capsules bears some sort of recognizable branding, either all-over or as a not-quite-hidden accent. (There's no doubt who you're wearing.) Though "quiet luxury" has been the term people can't stop overusing in 2023, we know these brand signifiers reliably move product for these high-end labels. So, there's a clear commercial play happening here.

In the case of Valentino Escape and Fendi Astrology, we also see these brands feed into nostalgia by bringing back archival motifs that get the fashion corners of the internet talking. The former brought back three prints: the Animalier from 1967 (and, most memorably, the Fall 1987 campaign starring Linda Evangelista), the Panther from Fall 1967 Haute Couture and the Valentino Loop reimagined from the 1971 Viva Valentino ad. The latter, meanwhile, references the astrology graphics seen in two Lagerfeld runways: Spring 1990 and Spring 1993.

It's not about essentials or "must-haves" — it's about scratching an itch for novelty and a desire for exclusively. Because who else will have a Louis Vuitton lounger?

Discover some of the beachwear capsules from luxury brands available to shop this summer, below.

Nordstrom x Burberry

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Dioriviera

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Valentino Escape

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LV by the Pool

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Fendi Astrology

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Saks Fifth Avenue x Balmain

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