The Colony Palm Beach is collaborating with Agua by Agua Bendita, the Colombian fashion brand, and de Gournay, the hand-painted wallpaper house, on a limited-edition swimwear and resort capsule collection inspired by the hotel’s iconic lobby wallpaper.
Launching with Moda Operandi as the exclusive online retail partner, the collection marks the first time the bespoke de Gournay mural found at The Colony has been translated into women’s swim and resort wear.
A dress from The Colony Hotel’s collaboration with Agua by Agua Bendita and de Gournay.
The capsule features a curated selection of the brand’s signature silhouettes, including a one-piece swimsuit, bikini, pareos and a minidress. The styles come in two distinct colorways drawn directly from the de Gournay mural. Select styles have handfinished embroidery, reflecting the shared commitment to craftsmanship that defines both Agua by Agua Bendita and de Gournay. Retail prices range from $310 to $850. The one-piece and bikini set goes from XS to XL. The pareos are one size and XS/S and M/L, and the minidress goes from XS to XL.
“We’ve wanted to extend our de Gournay mural into women’s swim for years, but we were very intentional about waiting for the right partner,” said Sarah Wetenhall, owner and chief executive officer of The Colony Palm Beach. “Agua by Agua Bendita is the first brand that truly understood the level of artistry required — from the precision of the color palette to the dimensional embroidery that mirror the hand-painted detail of the wallpaper itself. Their commitment to craftsmanship made it possible to honor the integrity of the original artwork rather than simply decorate a swimsuit. Launching with Mode Operandi felt like a natural extension of this same mindset allowing the collection to be introduced to a global audience that values this level of thoughtful design.”
The hand-painted wallpaper, inspired by a mural in the original lobby of The Colony titled “The Early Days in Palm Beach,” celebrates the region’s native flora and fauna on soft pink and teals, blending fantasy with a strong sense of place. Alligators float through lily-filled waters, panthers appear in diamond collars, flamingos preen beneath palms, and monkey mascot Johnnie Brown makes his signature appearance from the treetops.
“The Colony mural was conceived as a narrative landscape, rich with detail and storytelling, so translating it beyond the walls requires great care,” said Hannah Cecil Gurney, director of de Gournay. “Every element — from the scale of the flora and fauna to the softness of the Edo Xuan paper and the specificity of the color palette — was designed to evoke a sense of place and time. Seeing these hand-painted motifs thoughtfully adapted into fabric preserves the spirit of the original artwork while allowing it to live in a completely new medium.”
Some looks from The Colony Hotel’s collaboration with Agua by Agua Bendita and de Gournay.
Courtesy image
“We approached this collaboration with the same level of consideration we bring to all of our collections,” said Catalina Alvarez and Mariana Hinestroza, founders of Agua by Agua Bendita, the eight-year-old fashion brand, in a joint statement. “A key challenge was preserving the integrity of de Gournay’s hand-painted scenes — ensuring the scale and placement of each animal felt intentional and balanced on the body. Through embroidery, print placement and color, we were able to maintain the depth and whimsy of the original artwork. From the stitching techniques to the choice of silhouettes, every detail is considered so the artwork moves with the body and feels just as joyful to wear as it is to look at.”
The collection will be available for a limited time at modaoperandi.com and aguabyaguabendita.com, as well as in person at The Colony Edit and online at the thecolonyedit.com.
