August 25, 2007
Bikinis get more itsy-bitsy
Original post from Courier Mail.
JUST when you thought the bikini couldn’t possibly get any more itsy-bitsy, it has.
Jodhi Meares, former swimwear model and the woman behind the Tigerlily label, says bikinis are getting skimpier – and women are getting braver about wearing them.
“I think because the bikini has been so strong for so long, girls who wouldn’t have worn something that brief last season are getting more confident,” Meares, 36, says.
Meares’ tuxedo-style bikini, worn at the recent David Jones spring/summer collections launch by former Brisbane model turned international cover girl Catherine McNeil, made a particularly good impression on those sitting front row at the show.
Black and white is a strong theme in swimwear this season and Tigerlily has embraced it.
“(Black and white) sells really well,” Meares says.
“Girls love anything in black and white at the beach. It suits everybody, and there’s something very sophisticated about it.”
The idea for the bikini came during a trip to Argentina with Tigerlily’s head designer.
It certainly adds an element of playful sophistication to the new collection, which Meares describes as eclectic and diverse.
“We travel together and look at so many things, museums, architecture, vintage – we never take just one direction,” she says.
The label, which has become famous for its tiny bikinis, is in its eighth year and still going strong.
“We call them teeny bikinis,” Meares says. “And we do really well in that market.
“Some people seem to think we only make teenies, but they’re not all that brief.”
In recent years, the label has gradually moved into apparel, to the point where 65 per cent of the business is now clothing.
“We’re not just a bikini company,” Meares says. “We’re doing Tigerlily Nights now – cute dresses and dressy shorts. It’s still about the beach and has that casual feeling.
“When you think Tigerlily, you still want to think bikini.
“It’s not high fashion, it’s about the beach and what you will be wearing to the beach.”
Meares, the host of this year’s season of Australia’s Next Top Model revealed she is in talks with Fox to host the hugely popular reality television show again next year.
Surprisingly for Meares, Queensland - arguably Australia’s bikini capital - is Tigerlily’s weakest market.
“I get a bit vexed about it too, because I don’t understand,” Meares says. “I’m trying to understand why it’s not stronger there.”
It has been less than a year since Tigerlily opened its flagship store in Sydney, but Meares is already talking about rolling out a second one, and Queensland is top of her list.
“Queensland would be the state we would like to hit,” she says. “The Gold Coast I think.”
Meanwhile, she is preparing for Tigerlily’s foray into the United States, into Saks Fifth Avenue in October, and also the launch of its first children’s range, Tigerlily Cubs.
While she admits the business is now in a position where she can afford to take a step back from the hands-on designing process, Meares says she’s just as busy filling an overseeing role and juggling other commitments, such as working as a guest presenting on the Nine Network’s Getaway program.
