Mantero 1902 club // chapter 11
Diving into
Swimwear as a Story
A tale that blends print, technical design and the creative process in the Mantero 1902 swimwear capsule collection
It is a natural, almost spontaneous gesture that brings Mantero 1902 back to the world of swimwear. A journey that began in previous seasons and now finds a more stable and conscious continuity: a return to a language that is deeply rooted in the brand.
With the Swimwear as a Story, capsule collection, this universe reopens, following the thread of Memory Tales SS26 and the summer narrative woven from light, material and memory. The brand’s savoir-faire is expressed through the print, particularly in its placement on the one-piece swimsuit, where the design interacts with form and movement. The collection is conceived as an extension of the main line: swimsuits become surfaces to explore, to be enjoyed freely throughout the summer, from city life to leisure, with natural ease and continuity in everyday life.
Printing surface#1 / Reflection
Swimwear as a Story interprets beachwear as a narrative surface, transforming the swimsuit into a visual language of summer.
The collection’s prints—Coral Garden, Weava, and Maui—when applied to swimwear, engage with a more dynamic surface where patterns, proportions and visual rhythms are reinterpreted without losing their identity. This approach finds its most evident expression on the Reflection one-piece swimsuit. Coral Garden, in the version placed on the top, creates a graphic interpretation of the seascape, with elements emerging on the surface like suspended fragments; Weava, on the other hand, unfolds in a more fluid and continuous manner, following the body with a sinuous and enveloping flow.
Featuring a straight neckline at the front and a deep U-shaped opening at the back, Reflection is not designed exclusively for the beach or pool; its clean, elegant lines allow it to easily transform into a bodysuit, fitting naturally into the summer wardrobe and adapting to different occasions and settings, even away from the water.
How does a swimsuit come to life?
Mantero 1902 swimwear is created through an ongoing dialogue between different teams, working together in a seamless and integrated way. The creative direction defines the narrative and identity of the prints, shaping the collection’s visual universe and guiding its seasonal development. The product manager , on the other hand, focuses on the shape, proportions and fit, paying particular attention to the relationship between the garment and the body, ensuring a consistent balance between aesthetics and functionality. Finally, the designer interprets the decorative motif and studies how to adapt it to the swimsuit, evaluating the various possible interpretations—from an all-over print to a specific placement on the garment—in relation to the model’s construction.
The creative process always begins with the shape. The swimsuit is designed to follow the body in a fluid and functional way, without stiffness, ensuring fluidity of movement and a comfortable fit. The print, a distinctive hallmark of our brand, is introduced only at a later stage in the process.
It is the design, in fact, that completes the swimsuit and defines its character, transforming it from a technical garment into a narrative surface.
The pattern originates from the scarf, our core product, and carries with it a specific memory: a motif that already lives through movement, light, and folds. Once transferred to the swimsuit, it does not merely decorate but comes to life, interacting with the body and the water. Depending on the colors and visual rhythm, it is interpreted in different ways, capable of emphasizing the proportions and details of the design.
Printing surface#2 / Horizon and Tide
In the swimwear capsule collection, the prints interpret summer as a sequence of images in constant motion. In addition to the one-piece swimsuit featuring the Coral Garden and Weava patterns, the narrative expands to include the Horizon and Tide bikini set, designed around the Mauiprint.
Maui is the most immediate expression of the SS26 collection: a graphic pattern born from elements inspired by the marine world and a palette that runs through ocean, green and wine tones, in the season’s color variations.
It is an instinctive, energetic print that evokes the lightness of summer memories, blending natural details with ethereal suggestions.
The bikini set consists of a structured triangle top and medium-high-rise bottoms with a figure-hugging silhouette: the proportions are designed to flatter the body with balance and freedom, maintaining a light yet defined presence.
Horizon and Tide continues the narrative of the Swimwear as a Story capsule collection, designed to complement the summer collection and to adapt effortlessly to settings beyond the beach: the top pairs easily with other garments and accessories, becoming the key piece of an outfit perfect for a sunset aperitif or a late-night party.
Pack and Care
The swimsuits in the capsule collection, crafted from printed Lycra, are designed to move naturally with the body: materials, linings and construction become an integral part of the experience. Comfort and fit are not separate technical details, but elements that define how the swimwear is experienced and worn, whether at the beach or in the city.
All our swimsuits are kept in a compact and refined protective pouch, conceived as an extension of the Mantero 1902 project. The design, in fact, draws inspiration from the packaging launched this year and reinterprets it through the iconic Bouquet print in blue, which defines its visual identity. An essential accessory, designed to store and protect swimsuits with simplicity and care.
Swimwear as a Story: Mantero 1902’s savoir-faire through print, form, and a new way of living summer.
