Innes Lauren’s Elegant Tailor-Made Swimwear Look As Great Under a Blazer as Poolside – and Can Be Personalised

Inspired by a life spent barefoot on the sand, Innes Lauren Heywood founded her eponymous swimwear brand, Innes Lauren, as an ode to her island upbringing. “Growing up on the east coast of Bali, a swimsuit was my second skin,” Heywood tells Broadsheet. “So, when I studied fashion design in Melbourne, designing swimwear that reflected my lifestyle was a natural fit.”

Raised by hotelier parents, her childhood home was luxury resort Amankila, one of the original Aman resorts that spearheaded the go-slow luxe movement. Her sleek swimsuits riff on a similar concept of slow-luxurious living.

Each is cut and sewn by hand in Australia, creating a slow-release tailor-made swimwear range that is only released in small capsule collections. Now based in Byron Bay, Heywood champions a life and wardrobe that revolves around hardworking timeless staples.

The collection of minimalistic but fashion-forward shapes – like one-shoulder and strapless cut-out one pieces in neutral shades such as terracotta, cream, black and chocolate – look as good poolside as under a structured blazer. Each collection is a product of the designer’s sharp eye for detail and a belief in simple but high-quality designs that can be worn again and again. And age isn’t a factor when she’s designing. “I have customers who are in the sixties, as well as mid-twenties,” Heywood says. “Swimwear is too often hyper sexualised or conservative, but I wanted to find a middle ground.”

Heywood searched globally for the right fabric to use. She decided on an Italian techno-fabric called Econyl, which is made from regenerated fishing nets. “Providing fashion solutions to environmental problems without compromising the integrity of the product has always been a goal for me."

Small-batch production, which also minimises waste, allow her to incorporate a bespoke service. Customers can request certain colours or tweak a current design for a personalised fit. “It's a service that I love doing as it connects me to the customer. Being able to work one-on-with a client and customise something just for them is so special and ultimately what I love to do.”

inneslauren.com