Gunes Swim was founded by a mother and daughter duo, Kim and Sheree, who spend their time between Australia’s Byron Bay and Bondi Beach. Created by strong women for strong women, Gunes Swim was dreamed up on a holiday.
With the desire to form a creative outlet that could be shared between them, the path towards swimwear felt most natural to them. “We are so lucky to live and work between some of Australia’s most beautiful destinations. We are simply inspired by the women we are surrounded with. We wanted to create a wardrobe for them to feel like the most authentic versions of themselves,” said Kim. Creativity comes naturally for the pair, passed on from generation to generation of women throughout their family. The matriarch of their family, known affectionately as ‘Nanny Carol’ taught Kim how to design and sew her own wardrobe. The collection features pieces that Kim has handmade herself. “Four generations of women together laughing and dancing while trying to talk over the clicking-clacking sound of my grandmother’s sewing machine. Having my grandmother model for us has been one of the best parts of the journey so far,” said Sheree.
Their first campaign shoot was shot in LA on film by photographer Dominic Haydn Rawle. Pointedly raw and untouched, they wanted to break away from over-produced shoots that try to smooth out “imperfections”. “It was important to us to show our models just as they are. So often, defining things about us are just rendered away. There are no such things as flaws; celebrate them – find your strength in them,” said Sheree.
Created in limited runs so as to discourage waste, the collection is constructed by hand between Australia and a family owned business in Indonesia. Environmental responsibility is at the forefront of every decision. In addition to swimwear, activewear also features in the collection. Sophisticated bike shorts that pair with the entire collection are intended to take Gunes from beach to the street. Gunes Swim is a love-letter for strong women. Created to empower women by challenging common ‘beauty’ standards, it encourages women of all shapes, sizes and ages to love and respect their bodies. Gunes Swim is here to prove all women deserve to be celebrated just as they are.
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