By Rosie Cook
I discovered that swimwear is typically pretty but flimsy (great for ordering cocktails, useless for tumble turns or dives) or very sporty and quite boring (black, unforgivably thin, very high cut on the leg and absolutely no consideration of bust size). I wanted something that offered me both style and substance so I made my own by tacking a sports bra into a high street swimsuit and adjusting the leg height.
Research shows that every day women give up swimming or stop taking their children to learn to swim because of body image concerns, so I quickly realised that finding a good swimsuit was something lots of women struggled with. I launched Deakin and Blue to remove the obstacles that stop women from enjoying the water – at their local pool, on holiday or at the beach with their kids. So we make swimwear which feels amazing on – whatever your shape or size. Every piece is designed by women, for women and every piece is available in three curve sizes from AA-HH cup busts.
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It was important to me to create a brand which had a positive impact – on both our customers and on the planet. When we were first developing our fabrics we discovered a yarn called ECONYL® which is made from regenerated ocean waste and industrial plastic scraps. This yarn is not only better for the planet than virgin nylon but it is also twice as durable against chlorine, salt water and oils – so using it in every piece of our swimwear was an absolute no brainer. In fact, our values around operating sustainably and ethically underpin everything we do at Deakin and Blue – from our choice of fabrics, to our 100% recyclable packaging and even the suppliers we work with (all our swimwear is produced in London where we know our seamstresses by first name).
Since launching Deakin and Blue my own love of swimming has gone from strength to strength. I’m lucky to live near a heated Lido in East London where I swim weekly, but I also love being able to visit new ponds, lakes and lidos by way of “market research” – it’s a tough job sometimes…
