COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER

BOO K

THE

SLEEK OR SIZZLING, THIS SUMMER'S
SWIMSUITS OFFER SOMETHING FOR ALL
TASTES AND BODY TYPES.

BY BARBARA PASH

icking a swimsuit used
to be easy. You could
choose either a one-
piece maillot or a two-
piece bikini. Sure, there were a
couple of variations, like a
skirted suit with support top, but
the selection was limited. Now,
like fireworks exploding in the
sky, swimsuit manufacturers
have taken off in several direc-
tions.
There are double suits, worn
one on top of the other. There
are one-piece suits cut out and
attached on the sides to look
like bikinis. There are practical
suits for diving and doing laps.
There are glamorous suits in
fabrics water should not touch.
Fabrics range from glittery gold
lycra to demure white eyelet,
and colors from splashy tropical
prints to basic black. And let's
not forget the accessories
jackets, robes, skirts, shorts,
pants, pareos — that accom-
pany each line.
Here's a rundown on what's
ahead:
Adrienne Vittadini: Primarily
a sportswear designer, Vittadini
began designing swimsuits a
few years ago. Her collections

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IN STYLE

are well received. This season,
she features eyelet suits with
ruffles and lace appliques. Also
shown are gingham-checked
and striped suits, as well as
suits in a tiny floral print.
Anne Cole: Although her
father founded Cole of Califor-
nia, for the past few years Anne
Cole has shown a swimsuit col-
lection under her own name
(she recently introduced a
resort collection, too). Known for
the sleek lines of her "swim-
mable" suits, Cole emphasizes
that by inscribing "swimmin'
women", along with a drawing
of a woman swimming, across
the chests of one suit style. The
style is done in a grey flannel-
looking stretch fabric.
Notable among her offerings
are suits in a stretch fabric that
resembles divers' rubber wet
suits. A one-piece swimmer's
"wet suit", with a high-cut leg,
has a flashing light attached to
a belt; the light works on bat-
teries and yes, it's waterproof.
Other Cole styles feature
nailheads encircling the neck
and armholes of black suits,
and silver sequins on the
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