The Best French Swimwear

Last Updated:

11/10/2021

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When you think of swimwear, you might think of Australian or Californian brands. One of Australia’s most famous brands, Seafolly, is very popular internationally (you can even buy it in Paris)! France might not be known for its swimwear, but some really lovely brands certainly do exist. Whether you’re spending this summer in Paris by one of its public pools or holidaying down south by the beach (lucky!), here is some of the best French swimwear that will have you swimming and sunning in style.

Left: a woman walking down the beach towards the ocean with her back to us, wearing a black swimsuit with gold, pink, and blue straps by Albertine. Right: two women on the beach wearing white swimsuits by Albertine, one is a bikini and one is a one-piece. — Top: Yasmine Eslami. Above: Albertine

Leslie Amon

Leslie Amon is a Swiss-Egyptian making luxury swimwear in Paris. Her swimwear is manufactured in Portugal and Italy and all the fabrics are custom made in France. Leslie Amon doesn’t simply print on lycra. The brand knits and weaves their specially customized patterns into their own four-sided stretch jacquard fabric.

Leslie Amon doesn’t over stock, so once a fabric is finished, it’s gone forever! I adore her gingham pattern pieces which come in pink, lavender, and green. I love the cut of the Caro bikini top, as well as the cute Maryline top with its puffed sleeves and bow at the front.

Left: a model wearing a black and white one-piece gingham swimsuit by Leslie Amon. Right: the same model wearing a black and white bikini top by Leslie Amon with her arms raised above her head. — Leslie Amon

Livystone

My favorite French lingerie brand also makes microfiber swimwear that are seamless and feature heat-sealed finishes. The Eclipse soft bandeau is a gorgeous off-the-shoulder bikini top. The Andy triangle bikini almost looks like lingerie with its tulle inserts, but it also has an interesting zip detail on the back for a sportier look.

If you’re brave, the Kaa one-piece has a plunging neckline, back, and sides(!) with a snake detail. I like the striped Montauk bikini in the Eldorado colorway, as well as the Palmdale pieces with their army camouflage print and criss-cross back. For something more Versace-esque, there’s the Baroque and animal motif print, Black Tiger.

Left: a woman facing a cliff face wearing a khaki green one-piece swimsuit by Livystone. Right: the same woman looking over her shoulder at the viewer wearing a burnt orange one-piece swimsuit by Livystone. — Livystone

Ysé

Paris lingerie brand Ysé has a number of gorgeous swimwear pieces this season, which are made out of recycled Italian polyester microfiber that is certified OEKO-TEX®/GRS. Several of their swimsuits feature a delicate textured French jacquard pattern. But I’m particularly a fan of the embossed Italian seersucker fabric of the Coucher de Soleil pieces.

They also have some lovely prints, such as fleuri jaune, fleuri Biarritz, and oiseaux. But my favorite is the colorful, vintage-style tutti frutti print of the Baiser Coquillage pieces. If you’re looking for something more typically French, you can’t pass up the denim-striped Soleil sur l’Eau.

Yasmine Eslami

Celebrating 10 years this year, Yasmine Eslami is inspired by her friendships with women. She even names her designs after her friends. Her first muse was Jeanne Damas, the founder of French fashion brand Rouje.

Left: a woman leaning against a white wall looking over her shoulder at the viewer wearing a gold and white polka dot one-piece swimsuit by Yasmine Eslami. Right: a woman leaning on the counter of an empty kitchen wearing a fuchsia bikini by Yasmine Eslami. — Yasmine Eslami

Eslami worked for Vivienne Westwood for 10 years and once managed the beach collections of popular French swimwear label Eres. Her swimwear is largely color block with the exception of the white polka dot print “paillette” on gold fabric.

Albertine

The story of Albertine began in 1913 when the designers’ great-grandfather founded the Maison de Corseterie et Bonneterie Anthon. His legacy was passed down the generations. The designers grew up around corsets and lace, spent their summers in swimsuits by the sea, and eventually their own urge to design resulted in the birth of Albertine in Biarritz.

Albertine works in close partnership with a French family-run factory specializing in corsetry to turn their designs into prototypes. 70% of their swimwear collection is made from Econyl®, a yarn consisting of 100% regenerated nylon fiber made from abandoned fishing nets and other discarded plastics. I particularly like their new sunrise and sunset colorways, the Alia bikini, and the one-piece inspired by wetsuits (which they also have!)

Calarena

Calarena is inspired by the Corsican-Italian roots of its designers. Their swimwear is made in a family workshop in Italy. I love the Positano Lamé Blublack which is a one-piece with a cut out that wraps around the stomach and back, in a bleu nuit metallic material. The 80s and metallics certainly seem to be in this season, seen in collections by other brands such as Tatiane de Freitas and Albertine. I also adore the Coquillage Luna Baignore in pale blue with chunky gold chain straps.

WRITTEN BY

Ali Postma

Ali is from Melbourne, Australia, where she studied Art History and Art Curatorship at Monash and The University of Melbourn. She has worked in various art galleries. Passionate about all things arts and culture, she has a particular interest French film, Nordic noir, photography, street art and architecture. Ali has lived in Paris since 2016 and has written extensively on art, food, beauty and more. Her work has in publications including BW Confidential, Oh My Mag, and HIP Paris.