The calendar’s definition of summer may be coming to a close, with this week’s reverberating thump of airplanes landing signaling the end of Labor Day holidays. Cue back-to-school and back-to-reality moods and mindsets, right? Not so fast! Sun worshipers, fear not. This is Dallas, after all, and the heat is always on.  

  Two local designers are living an endless summer with swimwear that provides all the justification required to get a few more shots of vitamin D - or to plan an impulsive weekend beach getaway. As if we needed an excuse. These suits dive deep, delivering style and soul, and easily make the cut as a last-minute addition to your sun-drenched wardrobe. First up, for those particularly susceptible to wanderlust, designer Brandi Thostenson’s Brynja Swimwear should probably come with a warning label. These free-spirited Scandinavian-inspired pieces will trigger daydreams of Nordic Europe and the impulse to book a trip to turquoise waters to wear every single suit in the collection. With significant buzz swirling around the collection, Brynja Swimwear has already made it to the revered pages of Sports Illustrated, Swimsuit Edition 2015.  

  Of Norwegian and Swedish heritage, Thostenson translates her dual loves of fashion and Scandinavian folklore – brynja means armor and protection in the Old Norse language - into sweet-chic swimwear. Delicate folk-art patterns and vibrant needlework-like prints are complimented by fanciful floral motifs including Swedish kurbits. Feminine flourishes, including lace-up and braided details, likewise cast a sense of enchantment on suits that fully embrace the female form. To be sure, as a former print model for The Campbell Agency and fit model for JCPenney, Thostenson knows all about the importance of sculpting a suit to the right proportions. Brynja Swimwear is available locally at Bask Boutique and online at brynjaswimwear.com.  

  Next up, guys, lest you think this was all about the girls, Curated Clothing Company is rolling out men’s swim trunks that may as well be masterpieces. Having circulated in the art world for his “entire life,” thanks to his gallery-owning mom Kristy Stubbs, founder John-Marshall Stubbs (pictured above, left) parlayed his painterly background into “fine artwear” that is wholly designed and manufactured in Texas. Stubbs works with a critically selected group of artists from across the country to translate their colorful canvases to swim trunks. A sublimation printing technique reproduces the original artwork in a high-resolution digital print, molecularly binding the ink to the fabric so that it won’t fade, crack, or peel.  

  Current artists include local talent Francisco Moreno, a name that may ring a bell from his installation at the SOLUNA: International Music & Arts Festival this past spring. Also featured are printmaking and paper artist Adrienne Lichliter, along with Austin-based Raymond Uhlir, and Los Angeles muralist Kelcey Fisher. Artist Edgar Cardoze’s Texas-inspired American flag painting, as seen in the Deep in the Heart… Trunks, has proven to be the most popular style so far. Talk about wearing your Texas heart on your sleeve - make that your swimsuit. Curated Clothing Company’s limited edition, made-to-order swim trunks are available at curatedclothingcompany.com.  All images featured herein, credit individual brands.