Fashion / Mermaid In England
Bristol swimwear brand launches girls range for little mermaids
Following a triumphant campaign to promote body positivity, Mermaid in England’s Antonia Furlong is back with a new swimwear range that’s perfect for little mermaids.
“My daughters are most definitely the inspiration for the new kids range,” explains Antonia. “It was always on the cards!”
The fun thing about Mermaid in England swimwear is the magical colour-changing element when in contact with water, so it is a natural progression that the range should include childrenswear.
is needed now More than ever
Mermaid in England girls swimsuits are practical and fun
“The swimwear lends itself to children and the inner child in us all,” continues Antonia. “My girls loved seeing the transformation when I got into water!”
To the delight of her daughters, Antonia, who is focusing on girls swimwear, researched the needs of what parents wanted for their little girls when swimming.
“I asked a group of parents and grandparents what they would buy and that determined what designs we went for,” Antonia tells Bristol24/7.
“I believe it important for kids to be kids as generally these days, they are all growing up too fast! We therefore wanted to steer away from bikinis which feature predominantly in the adults range and find something that would not only be worn for a holiday, but would be useful, practical and fun all year round.”
The new range features full body swimsuits and tankinis to rash vests and the original bikini design, perfect for beach fun and swimming lessons.
Featuring more practical full body swimsuits, tankinis and rash vests alongside the traditional bikinis, the new swimwear range has already received incredible feedback from both parents and their daughters.
“It’s been fantastic!” says Antonia. “Kids know what they want, they either like or they don’t, there’s no filter for them. Watching their faces when they see the swimmers change colour in water is priceless!”
Colour-changing fun from aqua blue to mermaid scales, all you need is water!
As with any business there have been challenges along the way especially when moving from adult swimwear to a girlswear range. Antonia has been working alongside a technical designer and sample makers to refine her final designs before the launch at the end of July.
The initial girls swimwear launch will keep to the same colourways and prints from the adults range for simplicity, with the favourite mermaid scales and rainbow colourways being prominent.
The Mermaid in England girlswear range also offers the chance to get twinning with your little ones this summer!
The best selling Inner Glow rainbow print in soft pastels when dry.
“The mermaid design is the jewel in our crown and the Inner Glow rainbow design is up there as a best seller, so it made sense to start there,” says Antonia. “The kids reactions tell me that we are in a good place with what we have in store”.
With an initial girls swimwear range for three- to 10-year-olds, Antonia is now looking to extend the swimwear range up to 14-year-olds, to add maximum sun protective fabrics and a boys swimwear range to future collections.
The prices are currently set at £30 for a girls swimwear outfit (one and two pieces) with an offer of discounts and exclusives to everyone who signs up to the Mermaid in England VIP club.
The Mermaid in England brand uses real models over professional models for their advertising campaigns, featuring photoshoots with local kids and the empowering adult body positivity shoots which saw many brave women from burns victims to mothers of four getting involved to celebrate the female body.
“Our photoshoots have been extraordinary!” says Antonia. “I have been astonished by the courage and vulnerability each and every woman has shown.
“Getting in front of a camera is something that can make you feel quite uncomfortable and to do that in a bikini is often way, way beyond anyone’s comfort zone! Growth comes from a place of discomfort after all.
“For a number of women, it has transformed the way they think and feel about the way they look. I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome because the photoshoots mean they are changing people’s lives.”
With this in mind, how do you promote body positivity to young women and girls?
“It’s essential for kids to learn that they are incredible just the way they are,” adds Antonia. “We all have a unique beauty and truth within us, as adults we lose touch with it, but it’s innately there.”
Antonia and her daughter having fun in the pool wearing Mermaid in England swimwear.
“It’s all about modelling the attitude you wish you had when you were young”, explains Antonia. “I do what I can as a mother, to be the person I needed when I was growing up”.
“We must celebrate our differences and build the sense of self for the younger generation to think for themselves so they are less affected and not consumed by what others may think or believe.
“It’s important for kids to be kids, to live relatively care free and when they wear our swimwear to be confident both in and out of the water.”
Read our Fashion Editor Emma’s blog, No Debutante
Read more: A little mermaid with big ideas
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