Parade, the buzzy intimates brand that was acquired in 2023 by Ariela & Associates, is getting into the swimwear business with a size-inclusive collection.
The collection of swimwear and cover-ups was created for versatility and features seven styles made from Parade’s signature waterproof recycled fabric blend. The styles are designed to be mixed and matched.
The line includes bikini tops — underwire scoop top, layered push-up top, and underwire bustier — bikini bottoms in layered cheekini and ruched bikini styles and mesh cover-ups that come in a T and miniskirt. The swim and mesh cover-up tops range in sizes from XS to 3XL and bottoms go from XS to 5XL.
Among the prints and colors are a Farmers Market print, leopard print, Balloon (red) and Eightball (black). The underwire bikini tops are modeled after Parade’s newest bra.
Prices range from $28 to $48 per piece.
The line will be offered on Parade’s website, yourparade.com, and at target.com, starting Wednesday at midnight.
Athena Wrann, creative director and vice president of design at Parade, said the launch was a result of customer request. “We received overwhelming requests for Parade Swim on social and through regular surveys where our community shares feedback and ideas. We also saw ‘swim’ consistently rank as a top search term on our site, all year round. At Parade, we’re always on a mission to make underwear fun to wear. We explore prints and colors in everything we do to remind our customers of the power of self-expression through their very first layer. With Parade Swim, the connection came naturally. The same creative prints, fun colors, and playful spirit.”
A Parade bikini top and bottom.
Courtesy of Parade
Asked how big a business it can become, Wrann said that their goal is to offer a year-round swim assortment, complemented by limited seasonal capsules throughout the year. She said that this launch was intentionally a more focused assortment, designed to learn from their customers and gather feedback from their community. In preparation, they surveyed over 2,000 community members about print preferences, favorite silhouettes and where they’re shopping now for swimwear.
“We also see swim as a strong opportunity for new customer acquisition,” said Wrann. “We’re hopeful the buzz around this launch will help us convert first-time shoppers, whether they start with swim or discover our core offering, intimates.”
Describing who they’re targeting with the swimwear, Wrann said, “We know our core customer is within the 18–34 age range, so this launch is intentionally focused on engaging that audience. But ultimately, we want Parade to be the go-to shopping destination for swimwear for both new and existing customers.”
Some swim looks from Parade.
Courtesy of Parade
Parade launched a limited-edition swimwear collection in 2023, “which quickly became a fan favorite,” said Wrann, while Ariela & Associates has built a strong legacy of launching successful swim collections across a variety of brands.
With Ariela & Associates’ 30+ years of expertise in bra design and fit, and the recent launch of their Always On underwire bras, Wrann said they were happy to bring the same level of support to the swimwear. In fact, the majority of their surveyed community said that support in swim tops is either “very important” or “somewhat important” to them.
