Liandra Swim: The More Sustainable Swimwear Label Celebrating Indigenous Culture

How are you using fashion as a way to celebrate Indigenous Australia?
“Fashion is such a great tool to communicate visually with the world and it aligns so nicely with Indigenous storytelling. My culture informs me with all aspects of my life and Liandra Swim is no different. At Liandra Swim we do this most evidently through our signature prints and the theme of our collections.”

“I hand-draw our prints with each print representing a story that also plays into the theme of a collection – you can read about each design and the amazing women who we have named the designs after on each of our product pages at liandraswim.com. For example, the prints from our SS21/22 Community Collection are inspired by my beautiful little community of Milingimbi, East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. Our prints are absolutely a contemporary representation and often highlight more general themes that are relatable to the wider Australian community.”

“When the time is right, I look forward to working closely with my family to represent and share our traditional artwork and songlines – but I want to make sure we do it properly and don’t rush that process because those stories are so incredibly special to me and my family. It is so much deeper than being commercially successful. It is about acknowledging that our songlines are like pages from our bible and so, as you can imagine, they are incredibly special and need to be shared with integrity and thoughtfulness.”

“I am hyper aware that Liandra Swim represents my culture and so it is crucial that I do my community justice. From our premium quality fabrics, eco-conscious initiatives to creating a general positive customer experience. I always want to make sure that people’s experience of Aboriginal Australia, through Liandra Swim, is positive, thoughtful and meaningful.”

Liandra Swim is part of our Considered Edit – why is sustainability so important to you and your brand?
“In my culture we have a responsibility to be caretakers of the land. This means that we have a special relationship with every single plant and animal and that nothing is of greater or lesser value or importance. This, in many ways, is the foundation of why Liandra Swim as a brand has a focus on sustainability.”

“When I talk about sustainability, I am referring to our environment, culture and people. We need all three elements for our nation to be strong and healthy. I see our designs, and who we are as a brand, as our way of making that impact. From the speciality fabrics and print dyes we use to how we share and help create positive learning opportunities.”

“Our swim fabrics are always made using recycled PET bottles and recycled elastane. Our fabric is printed with eco-friendly dyes, and our product packaging is home compostable.”

“At Liandra Swim we are actively trying to be as environmentally safe as possible. We purchase our swing-tags from a company that uses solar power, recycled materials and non-toxic inks, and we are in the process of replacing our hygiene stickers to a home compostable option; we are working towards having zero unnecessary plastics as a part of our packaging.”

“We always work off the mantra that we can be better and do better and we acknowledge that our practices need to always be evolving with technology and other sustainability initiatives.”

What’s your favourite look for the season?
“My favourite look totally depends on what I am doing and who I am with and how I am feeling (haha… I know, so many influences on a simple bikini outfit choice). If I am in mum-mode with the kids, I love to be in the Lidia Top and the Magnolia Bottoms. This combo is just comfortable for chasing little humans around. If I get to be by the water without the kids, I love the Tara Bottoms and the Melia Top. The Melia Top is particularly good because I can change the drawstring at the bust to adjust the fit and support.”

Where is your favourite place to wear Liandra Swim?
“That is a hard one! I love secluded beaches where we can have a kilometre of sand and water to ourselves. So, wherever I can find that, I am happiest! There are a few nice spots around Nhulunbuy (Gove) here in the NT that offer that and I know a few great spots in NSW where I can get that too.”

And finally, what are your top 5 desert island essentials?
1. My favourite Liandra Swim Bikini (I would go for my mummy-mode combo: Lidia Top and Magnolia Bottoms)
2. My family to keep me company
3. A pizza box that would magically refill itself with Hawaiian pizza (yes, pineapple DOES belong on pizza!)
4. A magical water bottle that would also refill itself (I imagine being deserted on an island and thirsty would be terrible)
5. A king size blow-up bed to sleep on!