TURNING HEADS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT WITH THIS SWIMWEAR BRAND
By: Erica Commisso
Husband and wife duo Elizabeth and Simon Southwood started their swimwear brand, Sauvage, with a specific goal in mind. They wanted to combine high-fashion, trendy designs with high-quality, sustainable textiles sourced from European destinations like Italy and Spain. Ultimately they wanted to create a product that makes people feel good in what is considered to be one of the most self-conscious items one can shop for.
Sauvage pieces have been on the cover of Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues multiple times over the past fifteen years, worn by megastars like Gigi Hadid and models Hailey Clauson and Emily DiDonato. And while it helped when Sports Illustrated was at its peak, Southwood says a saturation of digital content has caused the magazine’s influence to decline, with other sources taking on a more prominent role in the public eye.
Credit: Sauvage
But Sauvage has a trick up its sleeve, a sparkle to catch the consumer’s eye: Many of the pieces have authentic Swarovski crystals affixed to the suits, adding an extra layer of allure and uniqueness. And the added bonus is that the crystals serve merely as an extra detail rather than a delicate, surface-level addition. The Southwoods explain that because each crystal is carefully added to the garment by hand, they do not affect the life or sustainability of the suits.
The sustainability itself comes from the nylon-Lycra fabrics sourced from mills in Italy and Spain, a move Simon Southwood says was intentional and thoughtful. “The European fabric mills retain the skill and artistry of true original design,” he explains. “Also, since the introduction of digital artwork, they have the ability to work closely with us and change or modify the designs. Most manufacturers work with China or India because of cost, where there is a ‘take it or leave it’ philosophy. Plus the designs have to be geared to the mass market to meet the minimum orders needed to keep prices low.”
Credit: Sauvage
Instead, Sauvage uses a slower manufacturing model, with each swimsuit taking 45-60 minutes each, as members of the team work in groups of three or four. From the time of order, it takes four-to-six weeks to complete the manufacture of each piece, after the design and sampling process, Southwood explains. “From original sample, through photoshoot, production, et cetera, it’s a three-to-four month process,” he says. And then delivery is, as he says, “at the mercy of the shipping gods,” as it usually takes seven to 10 days to get the piece by air from Europe to Sauvage’s San Diego home base.
Credit: Sauvage
Elizabeth Southwood’s designs, inspired by high fashion, architecture, and art, even boast names that pay homage to the European mills that help bring them to life. Sets named “Milano” and “Napoli” and men’s trunks named “Roma” represent a subtle nod to Italy, while the Mariposa collection gets its name from the Spanish word for butterfly.
So far, the blend of luxury and sustainability is a recipe that’s worked for the brand, which celebrated four decades in the fashion industry in 2025. It’s been forty years of appreciation from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Candice Swanepoel, among others, and with Swarovski crystals in the mix, we can only assume there’s more shimmer in the future.