Get Your ‘Kini Custom-Made at Pikai Swim Hawai‘i

That’s the way we like it.

March 8, 2017

Natalie Schack,

We like our swimwear the way we like our Starbucks: with everything we want (heyyy, extra shots of espresso) and nothing we don’t (sugar-free peppermint syrup? GO AWAY). Some call us picky, but we say it’s all about being a lady with standards.

Which is why we’re raving about Pikai Swim’s customizable, made-in-Hawai‘i suits. The mix-and-match system from this Big-Island-based brand makes it easy-peasy for picky lasses such as ourselves to make sure we get exactly what we want. From sleeve-length to bottom coverage to strappy details and, of course, the age-old pattern-or-solid debate, ladies can let their individuality shine on the Pikai site.

Photos: Courtesy of Pikai Swimwear

The line was founded in 2012 by O‘ahu-raised local girl Malia Lins Costa, who has always had one foot in the arts scene and one in the waves. She grew up surfing and sailing the Hawaiian shores, studied sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art, was a woodworker, and has been a dancer for 18 years. Combinng that active lifestyle and creative sense with her seamstress skills (she started sewing at 6 years old) was a no-brainer. Key to her design philosophy? Functionality. Her suits are made from high-quality Brazilian materials, and are both 100-percent UV protectant and antibacterial.

You’ll find seamless, reversible (!!) options for ladies and tots, with no-nonsense construction made to brave the waves. Think ultra-sturdy braided straps, high-neck racerback styles and lace-up tanks that will guarantee everything stays in place. You’ll even find swim leggings, full-coverage monokinis and long-sleeve rashguards in the lineup. Prints are Lins Costa’s hand-selected favorites, sourced from Brazil, with more than 20 solid shades (including a copper and oxblood option that we’re going gaga over), and vibrant, psychedelic patterns with dynamic colors, sassy animal prints and pump-up florals.

Lins Costa’s got her hands full with her swim line, traveling around the Islands for bikini workshops and whipping up custom creations, but she’s not stopping there. Look for the brand’s line of activewear soon, which will take you from surf to mat, and new summer designs inspired by mauka magic.

Up close and personalized? We’re on board.

$80–$200, pikaiswimhawaii.com.