Watercolor for the Beach

When I was in my early twenties I looked forward to buying a new swimsuit every summer. 

My label of choice then was Gottex, prompted by the then enticing ads I'd see in Vogue. 

Valeria Golino in Gottex

Once I saw a Gottex ad of Paulina Porizkova (one of my very favorite models, now and then), who was wearing a bandeau one-piece, in light turquoise blue embellished with a silvery-gold crackle design.  I ran right out to a swimsuit shop in Ottawa and got it. 

(I still have the Paulina ad, but it's home.  I'll try to scan and post upon return.)  The beauteous Paulina-for-Gottex is also above, top image.

Another time I saw a matte-gold maillot with a bandeau top and retro straps (gathered at the top of the swimsuit, wide on the shoulder) in Flare magazine and embarked on an immediate telephone search.  I'd located and purchased it by lunch.

Naomi Campbell in Gottex

Since I no longer live on a small island where beaching can be a career in the summer, I haven't been so much in tune with swimwear for the past years.

But when vacationing on Nantucket last week, I saw some watercolor prints that are helping me get back into the swim of things, so to speak.

The first print is by the Italian company Leggiadro. This shop has a crazy cap/lower-cap-mix "handwritten" label and boasts a hearty helping of cheetah print, but can also be subtle.

These swimsuits were in the shop window, and were particularly appealing, given the island light:

The second print, below, is by Manuel Canovas, a name I hadn't thought about in years, but was delighted to remember.  I particularly like the flattering cut of the maillot, though the bikini looks equally wearable:

One of my favorite swimsuit models from the great 80s is Ashley Richardson.  Her patented pose was the extraordinary leap:

I liked her work for ELLE (not so much SI, thanks).  Here she is with Rachel Williams: 

And of course, Rachel is another athletic model who could work a swimsuit:

Do gentle readers have any favourite combinations?  Swinsuit/model; swimsuit/designer?