Being a beach Barbie is a rite of passage. It's written in the stars and co-signed by the greys. Whether you achieve said dream by biting the bullet and getting blonde money pieces or re-visiting your mum’s collection of 90s summer dresses, the pink picture is never complete without a swimsuit that embodies those Greta Gerwig-coloured dreams. This season, local swimwear brands have realised the fantasies occupying our thoughts. They’ve dropped, re-stocked and locked in on pieces that’ll have you and your ken feeling as plastic and picture perfect as can be.

HADIA GHALEB BRAND

One cannot help but wonder exactly how many tubes of deodorant are needed to circumvent bikini-induced chafing. It’s a thought that leaks its way into our psyches as soon as May splashes into being and one that inevitably leads to many linen shorts and hot-yoga-esque poses (because ventilation) by the seashore. Keeping us cool and conservative, Hadia Ghaleb’s newest launch preserves the flamboyant brand’s signature designs, whilst ensuring everyone is classy and chub-rub free.

ETERNA

It is always socially acceptable to blast Lana Del Rey irrespective of the season and yet something about Mirna Nakhla’s bikinis make the sentiment all the more inescapable. It is as though the brand was custom crafted for the chain smokers who re-read Patti Smith on a seasonal basis and wear Renaissance inspired corsets to Friday night dinners.

THE SHORE THING

The Shore Thing is not here to fuss about with ‘sudden-pool-dive-underwear-malfunctions’. They didn’t see the appeal behind ‘bunny ear’ tying your bottoms together because in all honesty, nothing is more jarring than having to spend every summer night dodging ‘remember when it flew off’ dinner remarks.

NINE CRIMES

Babies need bikinis too. They need to be able to build sandcastles in peace and eat their pre-prepped meals with ample room for bloating. Nine Crimes understood the assignment. They know there’s simply no room for anything that is not a bright blue floaty this summer season.

KAI COLLECTIONS

Corporate dads and respective fintech bros, we have not forgotten about you. Kai collections is letting you indulge in duckie and elephant printed trunks because you’re just the quirkiest little thing when there isn’t a Mont Blanc pen and Moleskine in your hand.

HYDRO

It’s okay to need your swimsuit to double up as a day look as well…when life hands you HYDRO you wear that burkini night and day queen, no cap (and no evening gown as well).

NINA

Some of us were Barbies growing up, and others only liked Barbies when they came with mermaid tails and poorly-animated-underwater-chronicle DVDs…iykyk. NINA, very fortunately, has catered to both demographics and delivered ultra-feminine bikinis for every beach Barbie this season.

FUFA

Travel bloggers and zellenials rejoice! There’s a one-piece that caters to your seashell obsession and enables you to really embrace that blonde balayage and lavender scented lotion you’ve been dousing yourself in.