Photography by Eric White
An über-chic swimwear line will say aloha to St. Louis this month. Pret-à-Surf (pretasurf.com) will soon debut at Lusso in Clayton, after previously being available only through exclusive boutiques and luxury outfitters.
Pret-à-Surf co-founder Karen Mulligan has long had a soft spot for St. Louis, ever since she met “some of the coolest girls I know” while attending H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College at Tulane University years ago. “They all happen to be from St. Louis,” she says, “and I’ve had the pleasure of visiting many times.
Mulligan and Jillian Demling launched Pret-à-Surf five years ago, when the two discovered a lack of fashionable swimwear options while planning a trip to a surf camp in Costa Rica. The duo decided to create a line that touched on their mutual passions of sports, fashion, and the arts. (Mulligan is studio manager for photographer Annie Leibovitz, and Demling is Vogue’s entertainment editor.) Since then, the line has evolved, incorporating more ready-to-wear options and form-fitting swimwear. Its fans include St. Louis’ own Karlie Kloss, model Cara Delevingne, actress Allison Williams, and tennis star Serena Williams.
This season’s collection is built on the label’s foundation: stripes, florals, and lots of color. “We decided to go graphic and modern while staying true to our roots,” says Mulligan. The
result: a cheeky mix of retro-style bikinis, boy shorts, rash guards, and surf-inspired dresses in bold colors and patterns.
Mulligan, who resides in New York, might prefer the beach at Amagansett, Long Island, but one can easily imagine Pret-à-Surf making a splash here in the Midwest.
