Gran Canaria Swim Week — Rouge Magazine

While it has officially hit fall, and most of us are bundling up, the Canary Islands are dressing down in an array of bikinis and intimatewear, as October 2nd marks the first day of the Gran Canaria Swim Week.

Gran Canaria is one of Spain’s Canary Islands, off the northern coast of Africa. It is known for its luxurious lava sand beaches, resorts, and rolling inland mountains (Rodriguez 2024). However, its breathtaking landscape is not the only accolade of this splendid island; Gran Canaria’s Swim Week is the only professional fashion week specializing in swimwear in Europe. The Gran Canaria Cabildo, the government council, has promoted and financed this event since 1996. The Department of Industry, Trade, and Crafts of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria plays an integral role in the production of this event through their program Gran Canaria Moda Cálida, which works to better the fashion tactile sector by strengthening weak points. This includes business management, product policy, promotional activities, training sessions, and exports, all leading up to the swim week, held annually in October.

With that being said, it's time to explore swimwear and its designers. This year, GCSW features an array of well-established designers, such as Cynthia Rowley, Miss Bikini, and Alejandra Rojas, as well as new talent, including Volcano Blood and Chacho Souvenirs.

Cynthia Rowley, a global brand, focuses on women’s empowerment and sustainability through “surf leisure.” Her gallery for GCSW features an intense spectrum of designs, silhouettes, and colors. Some pieces are black with ornate gold and metallic decoration, while others feature mesh and flower embroidery. However, my favorite ensemble is a pair of acid-washed jeans with a turquoise belt buckle and a sheer ruffled sea blue top with cascading layers.

Miss Bikini, an Italian brand, focuses on creating beachwear suitable for occasions on and off the beach, even a night out. Miss Bikini works to inspire women while highlighting the earth’s folklore and art, celebrating diversity. The Miss Bikini collection for GCSW includes intricate patterns, delicate gold details, and sparkles on an array of high-cut one pieces, angular bikinis, and coverups.

Alejandra Rojas, a Madrid-based designer, combines a deep understanding of Spanish tradition with personal taste and modernity. Rojas avoids trends, catering to timeless hand-knit and tailored pieces. To Rojas, pieces are meant to be treasured and bestowed upon one another. Her collection presented this week includes shades of blue, red, and pink with black and white highlights in crochet and knit materials.

As for the new highlighted talent, Chacho Souvenirs and Volcano Blood, each brand offers a unique take on fashion in the Canary Islands. Chacho Souvenirs focuses on streetwear fashion, which has become one of the foremost representations on the island. It was founded during the pandemic to aid social causes while revolutionizing fashion in the islands. Volcano Blood, founded and run by twins, is a handcrafted women’s swimwear brand in the Canary Islands. Every piece is inspired by the island’s volcanic paradise, creating a wide variety of colors and patterns. Every piece is handmade and limited, working to provide swimwear for women of all sizes. Volcano Blood’s Mystic Island collection symbolizes the beauty of mermaid and deep sea jewels alike, with bright shades of blue, green, orange, and pink in a satin fabric and beautiful ornate shell jewelry to match.

Although Chachos Souvenirs does not have a collection for the show listed on the Gran Canaria Swim Week Site or its personal page, I have picked a few of my favorite pieces. Most items feature amusing graphic designs, imagery of the Canary Islands similar to what you may find on a postcard and amusing phrases.

When it comes to unique, diverse, and well-made pieces, Gran Canaria Swim Week has it. All the designers highlighted have such beautiful works, and the array of artists' styles is lovely. Come this next summer, you may catch me in some of the abovementioned pieces.

References:

Gran Canaria Swim Week. (n.d.-a). https://www.grancanariaswimweek.com/about

Swim week by Moda Cálida. Volcano Blood. (n.d.)https://www.volcanoblood.es/pages/swim-week-by-moda-calida

Rodriguez, V. (2024, March 24). Gran Canaria.

Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Gran-Canaria

Written by Katherine Fivgas

Copyedited by Emily Arreola

Graphic by Kadyn Moore