Biondi Couture ropes in Alexandra Wilson

The designer swimwear shop and bespoke fitting and design service based off London’s King’s Road, designed specialist bikinis, Beach wear for Alex’s appearance at the Fitness America competition in Miami in 2009 – which was her first competition.


Hannah Smith, advisor for the bespoke range and store manager said: “We’ve always offered bespoke swimwear, but Alex was the first customer to approach us for costumes to wear in fitness competitions. Since then, other competitors have approached us, which has prompted us to offer this new service. We design the outfits in conjunction with the customer to make sure that it’s absolutely right for their personality and the image they want to convey - whether it’s covered in jewels or something more simple.”


Alex, originally from Northern Ireland, is a personal trainer and nutrition expert. Since entering the competitive circuit she has quickly attracted attention from the media, sports brands, and followers alike. She has been featured in numerous modeling shots and articles in a variety of magazines (Women’s Fitness, Ultra Fit, WBFF’s Fit and Firm, ExtraFit and Fitnorama), and is a Gaspari sponsored athlete. 


More recently, international fitness celebrity Jennifer Nicole-Lee has selected her to be one of the elite group of fitness models to accelerate their careers through her Fitness Model Factory. Alex’s next competition is the WBFF in Toronto on the 27th August.

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Kate Upton for Beach Bunny to cause swimming sensation

Modeling swimwear comes second nature to Sports Illustrated and Beach Bunny supermodel Kate Upton so it was only a matter of time before she went behind the camera to create her own sexy designs. Kate Upton joins California based Beach Bunny to design suits that represent her fun and flirty personality. 


The 1st release of the label, “Kate Upton for Beach Bunny” is scheduled to launch on Beach Bunny Swimwear website and retail stores early 2012, however fans can get a sneak peak of her designs at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim this July as bikini clad Kate struts down the runway at the designer’s show.


Kate created 2 styles for her upcoming collection which includes sexy and modern cuts reflecting Beach Bunny's brand aesthetic fused with Kate’s vivacious personality. “Beach Bunny is my favorite swimsuit line out there and to be able to design for them is a dream come true,” says Kate. “I love all the embellishments and especially the lingerie details because they make you feel so sexy.”


Kate is no stranger to Beach Bunny. She first caught designer Angela Chittenden’s eye as a Guess girl and has since been the face of Beach Bunny’s many campaigns including the latest Beach Bunny Bride, an exclusive bridal swimwear collection and the label's new ready to wear line. Kate Upton exploded into the scene this year after she landed the coveted cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue with fellow Beach Bunny supermodel Irina Shayk, which she became Rookie of the Year for 2011. She was recently named Esquire’s Woman of the Year and has shot for countless publications. Kate has also worked with photographers Ellen Von Unwerth, Yu Tsai, Raphael Mazzucco, and Stewart Shining.

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Dog on catwalk gets RSPCA hot under collar

Ksubi, then Tsubi, once had rats on their catwalk. And, yesterday, the label Terri Donna, presenting as part of the swim-wear and resort wear group show, sent a bikini-clad model clutching a shaved, dyed dog down the runway of Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal.

 

Reminiscent of the film Legally Blonde, dog and carrier were perfectly coordinated, down to their matching hair bows.

The cute factor was an obvious hit with the audience with many at the show raising their cameras to get a photo. Outside the show, a leashed Pomeranian, also dyed, was sighted.

Animal welfare organisation RSPCA ACT was unimpressed with the use of a dog as an accessory.

Chief executive Michael Linke said he disagreed with the shaving and dyeing of the dog for aesthetic reasons.

''Manipulating the animal, shaving it and changing it for a fashion show is not normal,'' he said. ''To make aesthetic changes to suit humans disrespects the animal.''

While the shaving was unlikely to cause the animal any profound suffering, unless it were susceptible to the cold, it could end up bothered by skin irritation.

The designer, Terri Donna, could not be reached for comment. 

The other shows in the group presentation were animal-free. Foxton Danger showed big, bold kaftans with huge tropical flower prints, ruffles to embellish and a kaleidoscope of vivid hues.

Karen Neilsen Collection offered digital prints of giant pairs of sunglasses and butterflies, scanty bikinis and body-baring tops. 

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Vix Swimwear comes to Singapore and the Philippines

Ocean Paradise, a specialist swimwear store in Singapore, will be launching a collection of swimwear from the designer brand Vix on 01 May 2011. This collection will include those styles worn by Sports Illustrated Swim Issue models including Russian cover girl Irina Shayk and Chrissy Teigen.

A staple of American popular culture, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue has a total audience of more than 60 million adults. Cover models of this Swim Issue will join the sorority of fashion icons which include previous Swimsuit cover girls Heidi Klum, Cheryl Tiegs, Tyra Banks amongst others. This year, Asian locations such as Boracay in the Philippines and Singapore were also included in the shoot locations.


Irina Shayk was pictured in the Batik Ripple bikini with aqua bead detailing from Vix Cruise 2011. Beauty Chrissy Teigen who is of Thai parentage, is photographed in the Vix Tides Embroidered bikini, with bold blues and sequin embellishments. Professional surfer from Brasil, Bruna Schmitz, was shot in a Glamour Ripple bikini from the Vix Cruise 2010 collection.

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View more  Chrissy Teigen and Irina Shay Swimwear Images